Naruto: The Smarter Choice
by EyeOfTheBlizzard
Summary: Team 7 was not nominated for the Chunin exams. Please read my note inside. it explains why this is being discontinued. Faithful readers please read it. You won't be pletely.
1. The Smarter Choice

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form.

**EDIT:**I've decided to edit my entire story because I need to change some minor details to make everything I have I have planned fit right. Go through and see if you can find what has changed. Thanks you my readers for all of the reviews, but honestly I'm tired of people complaining about Sakura beating Naruto in a spar. Means practice, even the weak get lucky sometimes.

Ch.1 the Smarter Choice

"_Where has the teamwork gone? They worked amazingly well together during the mission, why can't they be a team now_?" whined our favorite Cyclops sensei. Yes, Hatake Kakashi was referring to his lovable "team" that was bickering as if they had not been through a life-threatening C-turned A-class mission right in front of him.

To the left was Konoha's Number One Knuckleheaded, Blonde-Haired Ninja in his trademark, blindingly neon orange jumpsuit, was none other than Uzumaki Naruto. He was currently trying to prove that he was better than the boy to the right at some aspect of shinobi life, (other than eating ramen of course) but Kakashi didn't bother to listen to what it was, as it didn't matter anyway.

Currently ignoring Naruto's declarations was _the_ Uchiha Sasuke in all his arrogant glory of a blue t-shirt with big neckband that had that had the Uchiha clan's crest on the back, (a red and white fan) and white shorts. And the girl slightly behind, but between the two boys just had to be spouting off about how awesome the _Last_ Uchiha is.

Our least favorite, pink haired fan girl, who is currently (read: always) spouting off about how great Sasuke is, is wearing her standard, if completely impractical, bright red "dress". Seriously, the cloth going down the front and back is just another handhold for an enemy shinobi to latch onto. That is Haruno Sakura and all her current uselessness. 

Kakashi looked up from his favorite Icha Icha book to ponder about his team's current position. "_Hm, I can probably convince them to dress more practically when we get back to Konoha. The teamwork will take a little bit more time, but hopefully they will be ready by the time for the Chunin exam. I think it can wait till we get back to Konoha_." He began to softly giggle as he engrossed himself back into his book.

**Several hours later…**

"Alright team, it's nearing sundown so we need to set up camp. It's Naruto's turn to get dinner, Sasuke's turn to get water, and Sakura's turn to make the fire and cook." Then he noticed that only Sasuke had heard because Sakura was beating on Naruto, most likely for insulting her "precious Sasuke kun."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as he went to get the water.

"Hey, get going you two." Somehow the sudden attention broke Sakura out of her righteous fury-induced frenzy as she abruptly dropped Naruto to steam on the ground.

"Right! I'll get going now." She said sweetly as if she had not just pummeled someone into the ground. She knew what she was supposed to do because to rotation of chores was fairly simple. (And Sasuke Kun had to go through the woods to get to the stream that was supposedly nearby.) 

A few seconds later Naruto pushed himself back up onto his feet with not a single bruise. "Eh heh heh heh… Sensei, what was I supposed to do again?" he asked sheepishly. 

"_Normally I would reprimand him for that but all those beatings could give someone a light case of amnesia. _Just go get the food, Naruto."

"So what, sensei, are you just going to stand there and read your perverted book all day?" Naruto sarcastically said. Naturally Kakashi didn't bother to reply as he knew that Naruto would get his head bashed in, in 3, 2, **SMASH!!**

"You Baka! Don't talk to sensei like that" Sakura practically screeched. **"Although he's probably right." **Inner Sakura reasoned"Kakashi sensei, where do you want the campfire? She asked in her 'sweet' voice as if she had not just drove Naruto back into the ground.

_"Figures that she thinks of this as just camping." _He crouched down to examine Naruto. "You're the one setting the fire, not me. You should probably stop knocking Naruto unconscious so often, or he will get brain damage."

"Gomen sensei, I guess I have been a little rough on the Baka."** He still deserved every last one of those punches for insulting Sasuke Kun. SHANNARO!!"** With that, she finally left to go get firewood.

_"And yet it doesn't even occur to her to directly apologize to Naruto."_ Are you alright?" 



By now Naruto had managed to get himself into a seated position. "Yeah, I could've sworn that she had already left, though." Naruto weakly muttered as he stood up and started doing some stretches.

"Get going Naruto, The foods not going to catch itself."

"Right, I'll get going. " Naruto ran off towards the woods.

_"Hm. Naruto didn't have a single mark on him, even after Sakura's near constant beatings. I doubt that that even the fox's chakra could heal him that well that fast without me being able to sense it. Does that mean that Naruto is more skilled than he lets on?_

Just then Naruto tripped over his own two feet and plowed face first into a tree.

"Probably not."

**A few days later**

"All right guys, Konoha is only a couple of hours away. Let's pick up the pace." Kakashi ordered. You could practically hear inner Sakura groan as she was tired as it was.

Sasuke was still brooding over how Naruto, of all people, managed to defeat someone he could not. "_Sakura told me that it was Naruto that defeated Zabuza'a lackey, but how? How could the dobe acquire such power especially without me even noticing? I must figure out how to obtain such power for myself. If only I had actually seen, I could've copied it with my Sharingan. Well, at least I'm one step closer to killing __**him**_

By the time Sasuke completed his daily dose of angst, Konoha was in sight.

"Ramen!!" Naruto bounded ahead of the group. 

"YOU BAKA! We're supposed to arrive back as a team!"

"_Says the girl who has not done a damned thing for this team so far." Kakashi mentally bereted. _

"Hn."

As Team 7 arrived at the gates the guards greeted them and Kakashi called his team together. "All right team, we had a good mission. You all deserve some rest. You have tomorrow off. Dismissed." Kakashi then Shushined away to give the mission report.

"Sasuke kun would you like t-"



"No."

"Hey Sakura, I'll-"

"What makes you think I would want to go out with you?" 

"But-"

"No!" Sakura then noticed that Sasuke was walking off and promptly went to go fawn over him.

Naruto sighed. "What does she see in him? It's not like he is ever nice to her?" His eyes widened as a very disturbing thought just wedged itself into his head. _"When is Sakura ever nice to me?"_

Naruto walked towards his apartment to go ponder this new train of thought, his ramen completely forgotten.

"Hatake Kakashi reporting in for C-turned-A rank mission."

The 3rd Hokage's eyes widened. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, Mission success. Nothing worse than a few scratches. Although I would like to ask about my student's seal?"He asked, referring to Naruto.

"There is nothing to worry about. The seal is designed to let Naruto channel its chakra if he needs to." The third replied having sensed the explosion of youkai with his awesome hokage senses.

"All right then. All the details are in the report." He handed the third a half inch stack of paper. Kakashi Shushined away leaving Sarutobi with the evil that is paperwork.

**The next day**

Kakashi was ambling around Konoha thinking about how he was going to fix the mess that was his team when he noticed that the Hokage was signaling for a Jounin's meeting. He immediately Shushined away.

When he arrived everyone was suddenly deathly quiet.

"What?"

"K-Kakashi's actually on time." Kurenai stuttered. 



"**DYNAMIC ENTRY!!"** Gai crashed right through the door… and Kakashi, who managed to Kawarimi with Asuma with not a single scratch. It was then that Gai noticed that Kakashi was there.

"NOOOOO!! I AM LATER THAN MY HIP, COOL, RIVAL KAKASHI! MY YOUTH CAN, MUST NOT FADE! I WILL DO 1000 LAPS AROUND KONOHA TO ENSURE THIS, AND IF I CANNOT I CLIMB THE HOKAGE MONUMENT 5000 TIMES WITH- "

"Gai, you are making a disturbance." The Third interrupted.

"Urg, besides he was here on time." Groaned Asuma.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY ETERNAL RIVAL IMPOSTER!"

"Hm, you say something, Gai?" Kakashi innocently asked.

"KAKASHI, YOUR HIP COOL AND MODERN WAYS INFURIATE ME SO!"

"Er, back to the point at hand, the nomination for this years Chunin exams.

"I, MAITO GAI, NOMINATE MY YOUTHFUL TEAM OF ROCK LEE, TENTEN, AND HYUUGA NEJI FOR THIS CHUNIN EXAM OF YOUTH!"

"Dually noted."

"I Satutobi Asuma nominate Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji for the Chunin exams. "

"I Yuuhi Kurenai nominate Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino for the Chunin exams."

"I Hatake Kakashi do not nominate Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, or Uzumaki Naruto for this Chunin exam.

Authors Notes.

I am not Sakura bashing. I am just emphasizing how much of a bitch she is at this point.

Kakashi may seem a little OC for actually wanting to teach but seriously, his team only survived the battle on the bridge by a fluke. As far as I'm concerned that's a good enough excuse.

Naruto suddenly not obsessively liking Sakura was something random I decided to add to help him focus during the training that will be happening next chapter.

**EDIT:**I really like the way this chapter was written.


	2. Real Training

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form.

Previously… 

"I Hatake Kakashi do not nominate Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, or Uzumaki Naruto for this Chunin exam.

Chapter 2: New Training

Silence.

"What?" Kakashi asked.

"_What do I tell them? I can't just say that my team sucks that would make me look bad. Gotta save face." Kakashi mentally panicked._

"I knew it! The de- err, Uzumaki brat must be dragging down Haruno and the Uchiha." Some random Jounin exclaimed.

"I will not have my team just barely scrape through the exams, when they go through, they will blow their competition out of the water." Kakashi retorted. "_Nice save." _He mentally patted himself on the back.

"But we need to flex our strength. We need the Uchiha in there."

"No. I say they need more training."

"My eternal rival is right. His team will do much better if Kakashi gives them a year to grow and mature LIKE MY TEAM!"

"If those are all of the teams that will be going then this meeting is adjourned." The Sandaime dismissed everyone.

**Meanwhile**

Naruto was in his apartment still thinking of all the reasons he likes Sakura.

"Argh! I've been thinking about this ever since yesterday and I still can't find a halfway decent reason why I like her! She never pays attention to me, she's mean, she always hits me, and she hasn't ever really done anything nice for me. Why did I decide that I liked her in the first place?!" he ranted.

_Flashback_

_A six year old Naruto was hiding in a tree from a bunch of bullies who decided his new jacket that oji san got him was too nice for the "demon brat" and proceeded to burn it._

_Just as Naruto was about to jump out of the tree, when a blonde girl his age (probably Ino) and her mother sat down to eat some ice cream they just got._

_The little girl asked, "Mommy, why do girls have long hair?"_

_"Because boys like girls with long hair, sweetie."_

_Chibi Naruto, who was listening to all of this analyzed this with his uber awesome six year old logic. Since Naruto is a boy, he automatically likes girls with long hair. Since he is going to be Hokage someday, he ought to like the girl with the longest hair. At the time that was Sakura. Since he has to work for everything he has ever had he will also have to work hard to gain this girls affection. Since Sakura liked Sasuke, he was automatically Naruto's rival._

_End Flashback_

"That is so stupid." Yep, that summed up Naruto's situation pretty good.

**The Next Day**

"Ohayo, Sakura, Sasuke teme." Naruto had just arrived at Training Ground 7.

"Morning." Sakura replied distractedly, obviously focused on the Uchiha.

"Hn." Three guesses who and the first two don't count.

Naruto sat down against one of the poles and nodded off to sleep knowing that Kakashi sensei won't be there for a couple of hours.

Kakashi was ambling towards Training Ground 7 with everything he needed to start the new training he had prepared.

_"I wonder how long it will be before Naruto or Sasuke complains about not getting to take the Chunin exams. They will probably enjoy this, though; Naruto has been asking me to give them 'real ' training for months and I know Sasuke agrees. If only I could get Sakura to agree with her own mind rather than for Sasuke's 'approval'" He went towards the memorial stone to be with Obito for a while, as he had forgotten to go yesterday, (Yeah, he didn't believe it either.)And he had to be at least two hours as he didn't want his reputation to be completely ruined._

**3 hours later**

"Yo."



"YOU'RE LATE!!" Sakura screeched.

"Geez Sakura, you act like you didn't already know sensei was going to be late, like always." Naruto said.

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER YOU BAKA, HE'S LATE!"

"And you yelling at him is going to change that, how?" Sasuke replied, though he raised an eyebrow at the fact that Naruto actually spoke against Sakura.

"All right team, we are going to start real training, starting today" Kakashi said, forgetting to make a lame excuse as to why he is late.

"Yay!" 

Sasuke smirked.

Sakura gulped. **"Were not ready for this. We just got back from a hard mission. Shannaro!"**

Kakashi made a familiar hand sign. **Kage Bushin no Jutsu! **Two more Kakashis appeared.

"Sakura, you come with me." The Kakashi to the right said, walking towards the woods.

"Naruto, you come with me." The Kakashi to the left said while walking toward the stream.

"Sasuke I will be teaching you how to read movements with your Sharingan correctly."

"Why, it tells me the best way to dodge automatically." The Uchiha inquired confusedly.

"That may be true, but there is more than one way to react to an attack, and if you let the Sharingan control your reactions any strategies you may be using may fail due to making the 'perfect' reaction." Kakashi explained.

Sasuke nodded. On the inside, however…"_This is stupid. I should be learning something new not honing something that is already automatic."_

"Activate your Sharingan. Your are not to move a muscle." Kakashi proceeded to throw kunai at Sasuke, aiming to just graze the skin.

**With Sakura**

Kakashi's clone stopped in the middle of the clearing.

"So sensei, what are we going to be doing? **Whatever it is, I'll use it to impress Sasuke Kun! Shannaro!"**

Kakashi started his lecture without preamble. "Chakra is composed of physical and spiritual energies. With a single minded determination to achieve a goal, you likely would have a large amount of 

spiritual energy; however due to low chakra reserves this energy is mostly untapped. Since you have so little chakra in the first place you have the best chakra control on this team."

"Thank you, sensei. **Cha! We rock!"**

"_Figures, she only heard the part when I said she had good chakra control. _ So, as the brains of this team, what kind of exercise am I going to have you do?

"_But, Sasuke Kun is the brains on the team. __**Who cares if you are the brains that means you get to tell Sasuke Kun what to do! (Chuckles pervertedly)"**_

Kakashi snapped his fingers to break Sakura out of her reverie. "Sakura pay attention; you're drooling." Kakashi deadpanned.

Sakura had the decency to blush. "Um… Are you going to have me build up my chakra reserves?"

"Good. And how are you going to do that?"

"Um..." Sakura had to think for a few seconds, and then analyzed what sensei said earlier. "Are you going to have me do physical exercises?"

"Right! Here are some arm and leg weights. They are filled with sand. Attach them to your wrists and ankles. Run twenty laps around the Training Field. You are then to report back to me. If you don't get done before I call for you all to go home you will have to do it with copper weights tomorrow." He said quickly, as if reading off a list.

Sakura paled, but quickly attached the weights and ran off. Inwardly she felt slightly ashamed that her sensei had such low expectations of her.

"_Once she's strong enough to be of real use to the team, she'll have enough confidence to stop being so dependent on Sasuke's nonexistent affection." _Kakashi thought as he noticed that she was already breathing hard.

**With Naruto**

Naruto and Kakashi's other clone had make their way to Training Field 7's resident stream.

Naruto naturally was practically the new energizer bunny at the prospect of learning a new technique. "Sensei, sensei! What kind of super, awesome, destructive jutsu am I going to learn?" Naruto noticed the stream. "Ooh! I know you're going to teach me that Suiryūdan no Jutsu you used back in Wave on Zabuza! Am I right, am I right?!"

"Uh, sorry, no."

"Aww."



"On this team you have the worst chakra control." He could practically see the normally oblivious Naruto deflate from this.

"However, that is to be expected since you have so much of it."

"Why is that, sensei?" Naruto asked in a near monotone.

"It's easy to measure water if you only have a cup of it to begin with, but it next to impossible to pour only a cup of water if you have this entire stream to deal with also."

"So I'm going to do more chakra control exercises?" Naruto asked sounding a lot happier after the explanation.

"Yeah. You are going to learn water walking." Naruto's most intelligent reply was "Huh?"

Kakashi sighed. "I'll just show you. You'll probably get more out of that than a lecture." He then proceeded to walk out onto the water.

Naruto was amazed. "Wow. It's as if the water is as solid as the ground."

"Not exactly. To perform water walking, you have to not only bring chakra to your feet like in tree climbing, but you also have to expel a stream of it to float on top of the water tension."

"Okay. I think I understand." Naruto formed the ram seal for concentration and slowly walked past the water's edge. He fell through like a rock.

"Naruto, I suggest you take your clothes off to dry. Also for each time you fall in I will heat the water by a degree Fahrenheit."

By that time Naruto had already stripped down to his boxers. "Peh. Like that will do anything." He snorted and proceeded to drop like a stone once more.

"Maybe. _This may take awhile."_















































**End Chapter**

**EDIT!**I've decided that my story has about as many holes as Swiss cheese does by now, so I'm going through and cleaning up. 

I know Kakashi can't physically heat an entire stream with chakra alone. It had a very easy explanation. Next chapter.

Over and out. 

EyeoftheBlizzard


	3. Training Continues

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

Sasuke has begun training his Sharingan. Sakura has begun endurance training. Naruto has begun chakra control training. Kakashi thinks they have a long way to go.

Ch3 Training Continues…

_"This is an exercise in stupidity." _One very irate Uchiha inwardly fumed. Kakashi was throwing kunai at him and he was supposed to_ not _react to it. Even when the Sharingan was bombarding him with the perfect way to dodge. 

He was bleeding fairly badly. After all, when he did not react, the kunai would graze his skin and it _would_ bleed. (Hey, he is a genius.)

"You're wondering why I'm having you not dodge, aren't you." 

Sasuke nodded.

"I suppose you would understand if I gave you an example." **Kage Bushin no Jutsu!** Ten more Kakashi's appeared, and one of them henged into Naruto.

"Naruto and you are in a basic back to back formation and surrounded by enemy Nin. Go ahead let the Sharingan guide you. 

"Will Naruto cover me?" Sasuke asked, obviously not completely trusting of any Naruto.

"Yes." The Kakashi's all started throwing kunai at them. 

The exhilaration of letting the Sharingan take control was, well it blissful. Almost enough to get Sasuke high. He was dodging all of the kunai successfully (effortlessly) for several seconds when Randomly one kunai drilled him in the back of his calf. 

After collapsing and driving off the shock Sasuke shouted, "I thought Naruto was going to cover me!" 

"Look around Sasuke." Kakashi sounded oddly prophetic. Sasuke only saw the ten Kakashi's

"Where's 'Naruto'?"

"He got hit in the back with one of the kunai you 'perfectly' dodged." Kakashi spat, probably remember his own mistakes.



By the time it all clicked together, Sasuke felt sick.

**With Sakura**

"Sensei… twenty laps… done." Sakura wheezed out. She then proceeded to throw up for the second time that day.

Kakashi's clone looked up from his book. "Good." He handed Sakura a canteen of water. "Drink up and then meet me over by those trees." Kakashi pointed his thumb towards the trees and started walking.

"_Evil, sadistic bastard. __** Cha!!**__ I hope Naruto has just as bad as this." _Sakura bitterly thought. She got up and made her way towards the trees while drinking. "_Water has never tasted so good. I wonder what Kaka-teme has in store next." _Inner Sakura just shuddered. 

"I want you to punch this stump fifty times with you're your right and left arms respectively. "

"Can I take the weights off?" Sakura asked hopefully.

"No. They will help you build endurance better that way. Do not slow down. Do not pull any punches. I will be watching." Kakashi jumped up onto one of the tree branches and resumed reading.

"**DAMN!!** _I wonder of he really can tell if I pull punches? __**Knowing Kaka-teme, definitely." **_She thought as she started punching.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

"**Ow! HOT! HOT! HOT!" ** Naruto howled as he fell in, yet again.

"200 degrees." Kakashi's clone stated as it heated stream with another light Katon jutsu.

"Aw, c'mon! At least I managed to stay up for a step this time!" Naruto complained as he pulled himself back out of the water.

"You still fell in, Naruto." Kakashi deadpanned. Naruto proceed to sit down with his hands clasped together and legs crossed. Falling into a trance as if in deep thought.

Kakashi just smiled. He knew that Naruto was capable of serious thought outside of a crazy strategy that he came up with on the spot that always seem to work no matter how unlikely it seemed. "_I'll need to keep in mind that that seems to be his 'thinking pose.'"_

After a few minutes of sitting there Naruto's eyes lit up. He then got up and strode toward the stream with a sense of purpose, put his hands into the ram seal, and took one more step to stand on the water.



Kakashi could sense Naruto's chakra fluctuate as if searching for the right frequency. "_Ah, so now he's testing to see what does and doesn't work."_ After a few more seconds of not falling in, he continued on to take his first step. And then another, and another, and another. He got all the way to the other side of the stream and back. 

"Yes! I got it to work!" He jumped for joy. And fell in once more. "HOT! HOT! HOT!"

"222 degrees. You did good, though."

"Damn you Kakashi! I walked all the way across the stream and back! Doesn't that count for anything?" Naruto raged.

"Nope." Kakashi eye smiled.

"But..."

"You still have to stand on it for at least fifteen minutes straight, Naruto."

"But you never said anything about that, sensei.." Naruto whined.

"Hm? I didn't?" Naruto nodded. "Okay then, I want you to stand on the water for twenty minutes straight now." He eye smiled. 

Naruto groaned but complied. A few of his more, explosive attempts have drained him significantly, even with his massive reserves. 

**Twenty five minutes later…**

"All right Naruto it's been twenty minutes. You can rest." At this interruption Naruto's control broke and he fell in again, and screeched, because the water now seemed really cold compared to the lukewarm he was expecting.

"_I wonder if I should tell him that that was genjutsu. I'll work with that later. _Naruto, report back at the training logs." With that, the clone dispelled itself.

When Naruto got to the training logs, he noticed Sakura was lying down, apparently asleep from exhastion, Kakashi was reading his book, and that there was no Sasuke to be found.

"Hey Kakashi sensei, where's the teme?" Sakura must've have been really out of it if she was too tired to berate Naruto for that.

"He will be back in a few minutes." Kakashi assured without looking up from his book.

"Hey Sakura, what did you have to do? You like you've been through hell."

Sakura groaned and sat up. Then she glared. "What the hell did you do, sit and stare at the clouds?! You don't look like you did anything!" 



Naruto normally would've said something about almost being boiled alive, but then he remembered than she didn't listen to rationality when enraged. (Yeah, flashback city) "I was doing chakra control exercises, Sakura."

Before Sakura could continue her rant about how Naruto didn't even look like he had been _using_ chakra, Sasuke returned to the Training Grounds. (Enter stage left.)

Sakura noticed Sasuke's bandaged leg as he sat down by one of the logs. (All the other cuts had been healed by medic Nin.) "Sasuke kun! What happened to you? Are you okay? Do you wanna know what I did today? Will you go on a date with me?" Sakura asked worriedly, apparently completely forgetting that she was dead tired.

"Hn." Ah, there's the universal word.

"Sakura, He was at the hospital. " Naruto deadpanned.

Her eyes widened, and she began to panic. (again) "Sasuke kun, are you okay? What happened?"

Sasuke raised and eyebrow. "How did you know, dobe? _Dobe normally wouldn't notice that._" 

"I could understand that you would have such high quality medical tape, but why would you bring it to an everyday training session? It was kind of obvious." Naruto reasoned. 

Sasuke immediately slammed Naruto against one of the logs. "Who are you and what have you done with the dobe?" Sasuke hissed.

Naruto pushed Sasuke away from him. "It _is _me, you teme! I've been thinking more than usual lately. Does it bother you?"

"Liar! Naruto always calls Sakura by 'Sakura Chan'."

"Tch. If she wants you so bad, she can have you for all I care."

"_Damn, that's all I had. Think, think. Naruto _wouldn't notice something like medical tape 

"Sasuke, Naruto, stop. Don't worry, Naruto is not an imposter, no one can impersonate a chakra signature, after all. (Not true. But Sasuke will believe it.) Meet here tomorrow, same time. Dismissed. "Kakashi shushined away.

"Sasuke kun, would you like to go out with me?"

"No." 

Sakura waited a moment for Naruto to ask he could go with her. Her eyes widened as she realized Naruto was gone as well. Sakura ambled home dejectedly wondering what happened to change the team so much, so suddenly.

**Later**

Sakura sat on her bed thinking about the team. She was trying to come up with a reason why Naruto would change so drastically, so quickly, since Sasuke kun was acting the same as usual..

"_Sure, Naruto has been a little quieter ever since the mission to Wave, but it's not like that warrants ignoring me."_ Her eyes widened as she noticed where her train of thought was going. Why did she even care what _Naruto_, of all people, thought? 

**"Stop trying to kid yourself, girl. Naruto has become a cornerstone in our life."**

"No he isn't."

**"Oh? Who's always there to pick you up when Sasuke rejects you?"**

_"Err…"_

**"Naruto. Who's always there to cheer you up whether you know it or not?"**

_"…Naruto."_

**"Who do you bash into the ground every time he asks you out?"**

_"…Naruto."_ Yeah, Sakura was feeling pretty guilty by now.

**"Face it, Naruto is everything that you wish Sasuke was."**

Sakura was appalled at the very idea. "_Okay, he might be more patient than anyone realizes and maybe a nice guy, but he is still a clueless idiot, unlike Sasuke Kun."_

**"Sure, he is an immature, idiotic, prankster."**

_"Thank you."_

**"However, he is also kind, caring, selfless, clever when he needs to be, and a good, no- great friend."**

_"Yeah…"_

**"Hah! He's your classic knight in shining (read: kill-me orange) armor!"**

_"Don't push it."_

Over the next week the training only got tougher. Kakashi had Naruto running and dodging projectiles while on the water. Sakura had moved to copper weights and could run 15 laps before running out of breath, and she still got completely exhausted while punching and now kicking the log every day. Sasuke only had the slightest twitch of a reaction when Kakashi threw kunai at him ever since that first day and had now moved on to Sharingan hypnosis. 



Naruto was still quieter than usual, although it seemed to be a good thing since he no longer seemed to be mad at Sakura, although he never did return to asking her out. 

Sakura asked Sasuke out less and less, and now it only seemed to happen at the end of training, although she still got rejected every time. Kakashi noticed that she pointedly never took out her frustrations on Naruto anymore and instead just beat the log that much harder. (Self realization, maybe?)

Sasuke was glad that Naruto was not as much of an annoying loudmouth anymore, and that Sakura no longer constantly asked him out. He would never admit it, but he was starting to like the idea of being on Team 7.

Kakashi thought that if his team was like this a couple of weeks ago, he would've recommended them for the Chunin exams although they still clearly needed some work to plow through the exams like he wants them to.

**End Chapter 3**

**EDIT:** Yeah, last time I forgot to note that the heated water was little more than genjutsu. 

Over and Out.

EyeoftheBlizzard


	4. The Free For All

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

Kakashi had Naruto running and dodging projectiles while on the water. Sakura had moved to copper weights and could run 15 laps before running out of breath, and she still had to punch and now kick the log every day. Sasuke only had the slightest twitch of a reaction when Kakashi threw kunai at him ever since that first day and hah now moved on to Sharingan hypnosis. 

Naruto was still quieter than usual, although it seemed to be a good thing since he no longer seemed to be mad at Sakura, although he never did return to asking her out. 

Sakura asked Sasuke out less and less, and now it only seemed to happen at the end of training, although she still got rejected every time. Kakashi noticed that she pointedly never took out her frustrations on Naruto anymore and instead just beat the log that much harder. 

Sasuke was glad that Naruto was not as much of an annoying loudmouth anymore, and that Sakura no longer constantly asked him out. He would never admit it, but he was starting to like the idea of being on Team 7.

Ch 4The Free For All

Naruto was very excited. You see, yesterday at Icharaku's (sp?) He had overheard Kiba bragging about how his team was getting to participate in the Chunin Exams. He figured that if ol' dog breath got in, then his team was definitely in. All that was left was for Kakashi sensei to announce it at the beginning or end of training today!

However, Kakashi was already two hours late, and with this news, he was getting impatient really quickly. (more than usual) Naruto did notice that Sakura was not as pissed off as usual at the lateness. 

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Naruto went back to reading his scroll. It was titled _Basic Strategies: Scroll 3._ He remembered a week back when Kakashi made him start reading these scrolls.

_Flashback_

_"Naruto, you have amazing endurance, chakra, and one of the most strategically useful techniques in the world."_

_Naruto swelled with pride._

_"However, the strategic genius, stealth, and other skills I saw during your pranking career are thrown out the window when you fight."_

_"Wait, what? What does pranking have to do with fighting?" Naruto asked confusedly._

_"Are you any good at setting traps?"_

_"No, but I still don't see what pranking has to do with it."_

_Kakashi inwardly sighed. "Naruto, do you know how little difference there is between your pranks and setting traps."_

_"No."._

_Kakashi sighed. "The way to set up a trap and the way to set up a prank are the same. The only difference is that traps use more lethal devices than eggs, flour, toilet paper, and the like."_

_He could practically hear the gears grinding(and tearing) in Naruto's head._

_"Here, I want you to read this scroll in your spare time. When you finish, I will give you the next one." Kakashi tossed Naruto a scroll._

_"Basic Strategies: Scroll One."_

_End Flashback_

"Yo."

"You're late." Sakura deadpanned.

"When I was halfway here, I remembered that I needed to return a library book, so I turned back home to get it. On the way there I helped get a cat down from a tree, and then I had to actually search for the book, then I realized that it was in my kunai pouch the whole time."

"Yeah, yeah, sensei. Let's go get our D-ranked mission for today so that we can hurry up and train." Naruto interrupted as he rolled his scroll back up.

"Hn." Team 7 had been doing one D-ranked mission a day before training because it 'had to get done.'

**Two Hours Later…**

"Mission 'Deliver Dog Food and Help out at the Inuzuka Kennels' complete. "Kakashi reported.

"Alright! Time for training!" Naruto exclaimed.



"Yeah, yeah. Training Field 7 ASAP." Kakashi Shushined away. 

"I can't wait to learn how to do that! Then he won't be able to lord it over us anymore!" Naruto grumbled but silently vowed to Shushin as much as possible when he learned how. 

Sasuke and Sakura said nothing, but silently agreed. "Somehow, I think that we're going to get there before Kakashi sensei even though he used the Shushin." Sakura said.

"Hn."

**A few minutes later...**

_"Hm, I wonder if anything happened to them. They should've had enough time to get here by now." _Kakashi pondered while reading his book.

Just then, the rest of Team 7 strolled in. "Whoa, sensei is already here." Sasuke murmured, amazed. Then he started grumbling and dug in his pockets as Sakura dug in her purse. (When did she bring a purse?!) They both hand Naruto a hundred yen. 

"Told ya he'd be on time." Naruto bragged, proud of his betting skills.

"What's this all about?" Kakashi asked innocently.

"Naruto bet 200 yen that you would be here before we got here, so Sakura and I bet 100 yen each that you would somehow manage to be late." Sasuke replied in a monotone.

"Interesting. Today we are going to do something a little different. We are going to have a competition of sorts."

"What kind of competition?" asked Sakura, the ever inquisitive one.

"A three way spar. Whoever wins will get one of these scrolls." He pulled out three scrolls that look exactly the same

"So if I win, I will get all three scrolls?" Sasuke asked, his interest perked.

"No. Each scroll has a jutsu that would suit one of you best. If you win, you will get your scroll."

"_So I have to beat both Naruto and Sasuke Kun to get a new jutsu. _**ARRGH!! This is hopeless! We can hardly beat Naruto, much less Sasuke! **_Well we can't just not try. Both of them would take it as an insult." _Sakura inwardly panicked

"You have the entirety of Training Field 7 to spar on. You can use any and all jutsu's, weapons, and techniques. I will intervene when I feel that a winner has been decided. Begin!" Kakashi poofed away.



Sakura dropped into an Academy style taijutsu stance. Sasuke dropped into an Uchiha clan taijutsu stance. (Is it the intercepting fist? I don't know.) Naruto dropped into a stance that was so sloppy that he had to have made it up himself.

Naruto, being the most impatient one, lunged first to try to drive a five finger sandwich through Sasuke's face. Sasuke, however saw it coming from miles away, even without the Sharingan, batted the fist away and shoved him into the ground. 'Naruto' promptly disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

"_When did the dobe make a Kage Bushin?" _Sasuke thought incredulously. 

While Sasuke was searching for wherever Naruto was going to show up next, Sakura took the opening to slam her fist into his gut.

As Sasuke picked himself back up he thought,"_Damn, I forgot all about her. Heh, I'll just take her out and then look for the dobe."_ Sasuke then put her into one of his favorite Sharingan induced genjutsu. It gives someone a massive sense of vertigo.

After Sasuke had left to look for Naruto, it only took a few moments to dispel the genjutsu. "_I hope Sasuke Kun isn't mad at me. _**So? You got a solid hit on him, we have a chance! **_He could have easily knocked me out. It took me so long to get rid of the genjutsu. _**Hey, at least you could dispel it. A couple weeks ago you couldn't have done that. **_Yeah, let's do this! Cha!" _ Sakura went off to look for Naruto since she knew that she couldn't sneak up on Sasuke.

**Elsewhere…**

"_Heh, heh, heh. It was such a good idea to replace myself with a Kage Bushin during the explanation. I wonder why I can remember exactly what happened though. "_He filed it under"Ask Kakashi sensei later." He continued laying the basic traps he knew about.

He heard one of his traps go off. "Better go see what I caught."

Uchiha Sasuke was currently pissed off. He was hanging upside down from a tree the same way Naruto was during the bell test. "_An Uchiha does not fall for such a simple trap." _ He cut the rope with one of his kunai, and flipped to land on his feet.

Uchiha Sasuke was currently beyond pissed off. He was again hanging upside down from a tree the same way Naruto was during the bell test. "_It was even double layered just like during the bell test! I'm going to kill the dobe when I find him_!" He sliced through the wire with one of his kunai and flipped to land on his feet.

Uchiha Sasuke was currently rewriting his 'to kill' list. He was leaning against one of the trees a few meters from his last position. As he had flipped to land on his feet Naruto ran in and drilled his fist into his gut. He started making handsigns. Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! The fireball sped towards Naruto and engulfed him. 



_"Yes! I torched him! Wait, I didn't put enough power behind that for there not to be any remains."_ A kunai was fired from somewhere in the foliage, but Sasuke easily dodged it. 

That kunai cut a wire that fired four more kunai at Sasuke. _"Tch. Dobe thinks I'm going to fall for my own tricks." _Each of those kunai cut a wire that fired two shuriken each. Sasuke jumped backwards in order to avoid these.

Right into a pit trap. Sasuke managed to use chakra to cling to the side so that he didn't get impaled by the sharp, pointy, sticks at the bottom. "_Okay, the dobe is good at making traps, I'll give him that." _

By the time Sasuke pulled himself out of the pit trap, he realized that all the kunai and shuriken were gone and that he still had no idea where Naruto was.

"DAMN!"

_"Well, now I know about where Sasuke Kun is." _Sakura deadpanned. She still had no idea where Naruto was. But she did know that there were traps _everywhere_. Luckily, she had managed to avoid most of them so far.

Sakura saw Naruto up ahead in one of the tree setting up a trip line. _"This is my chance." _She made two Bushins to surround him.

The Sakura's each threw three shuriken that converged on Naruto and went to follow up with a good punch into the face. However 'Naruto' exploded in a plume of smoke, which temporarily blinded Sakura.

"Got you." Said a familiar voice that had indeed grabbed her in a way as to prevent her from reaching for a kunai, shuriken, or making a counter attack. 

"Naruto, you ero-baka, let me go!" From her point of view, Naruto was practically groping her. 

"No. Look down."

Sakura's eyes widened when she saw an exploding tag between her feet. "So? You can't activate with you right here." She reasoned.

"Oh?" asked that same irritating voice from several trees away. 

"Kage Bushin." She murmured in disbelief.

"Duh."

"Alright Naruto, that's enough. You can let her go. I think you've proved who has won this already." Said Kakashi who had dropped down from a nearby tree, actually worried that Naruto might have followed through. "Sasuke, you can come out now."

Sasuke dropped out of the tree, hanging by a rope _again_. "My kunai and shuriken are down there. " He stated, red faced from embarrassment or blood going to his head, the world may never know. His kunai and shuriken pouches were on the ground a mere foot away from his hand.

**End Chapter**

**Authors Note** I really like the way this chapter turned out. Naruto not really that much better than Sasuke or Sakura, he just out strategized them for once.

He used Kage Bushins to set up the traps so quickly. To think, all this because Kakashi made him read some basic strategy scrolls.

Ohh, wonder what in Naruto's scroll? Tune in next time to find out! (Man that line was corny.)

**EDIT:**Hm, this chapter didn't have much wrong with it…


	5. A CRank Mission: We’re doing What!

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

Naruto put Sasuke for a loop with a devious set of traps. Then, he ends Kakashi's competition for the scrolls by disqualifying Sakura with a Kage Bushin/ explosive tag combo.

Ch 5 A C-Rank Mission: We're doing what?! 

As Team 7 returned to the logs in Training Field 7 Kakashi said, "Now that you have completed the Team Sparring exercise, I would like you to answer a few questions."

Our favorite genins just sat against the logs and waited to be drilled about why they succeeded or failed to win.

"When did Naruto first replace himself with a Kage Bushin?"

"…" Sasuke and Sakura had nothing.

"I replaced myself during the explanation of the exercise after I heard that this was a three way spar. I got a question, though. Why do I remember what my Kage Bushin went through?"

"I was wondering when you would discover that aspect of the Kage Bushin. A Kage Bushin is just like you in every single way, except that it gets dispelled after one solid hit. Since it is you, you will retain every experience that Kage Bushin has gone through." Not the real explanation, but Naruto wouldn't understand the entire thing anyway.

"Wait a sec! If this is true, why didn't Naruto notice this until now?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

"Well, if I had to guess, I would say that he didn't notice because until today he was always doing a similar action that his Kage Bushin did. He just didn't notice that he remembered doing everything from several different angles."

"When did the dobe get so good at making traps?"

"I'm the one asking questions here, Uchiha."

"Kakashi sensei told me that trapping was like pranking with sharp, pointy, objects."

"Right. Why did Sakura land such a clean hit on Sasuke?"

"Oh! I know! The teme was too busy looking for where I was supposed to show up next!"



"Right. Naruto's usual strategy is to use the Kage Bushin to force an open shot in the chaos. However, when Naruto didn't show back up, Sakura had a gigantic opening to work with."

"Sasuke, why didn't you take Sakura out of the running while you had the chance?"

Sasuke sighed. "I figured that she wouldn't target me if she could avoid it. If she was lucky enough to find Naruto before I did, she most likely would've lost, but Naruto would've been easier pickings."

"Whoa. That the most the teme has ever said at once." Naruto whispered to Sakura. Sakura just nodded, to depressed over the fact that her Sasuke Kun immediately assumed that she would lose against Naruto to tell him not to call Sasuke a teme.** "You did lose to Naruto kun."**

Kakashi narrowed his eye. "Why did you assume that Sakura would lose against Naruto?"

"Because she would've. At its simplest, Naruto could've just ganged up on her with Kage Bushin and outmuscled her."

"Good reasoning, although you should have more faith in Sakura's abilities. Sakura could've put Naruto into a genjutsu and dealt with him, you know. Why did Sasuke fall for traps that were so similar to his own?"

"Sasuke, traps?" Sakura asked; confused because she wasn't there when it happened.

"Yeah, it was hilarious!" Naruto then recounted the whole ordeal to Sakura. Sasuke meanwhile was trying not to flush with embarrassment and failing miserably. "He fell for it because I am a prank genius, and I hid it so good!"

"No for the genius, and partially for the other part. Sasuke may have fallen into first part of the trap because you hid it so well, but after that, he got angry and fell into the rest of it." Kakashi spoiled Naruto's brag rant.

"Sakura, why did you fall into Naruto's traps?"

Sakura blushed. "Umm… Because I assumed that one of his Kage Bushins that were setting up more traps was the real Naruto."

"Right. However, it is unreasonable to expect a genin to be able to spot the minute differences between a Kage Bushin and the original. Naruto just has a technique that is a near perfect decoy. But never assume anything. It got you killed this time. All right, that's enough interrogation; I want you to one on one spar. Sasuke versus Sakura. Naruto, you report when and why either of them loses. Anything goes. I will intervene when I deem the match over."

It was short and sweet. The match a near exact replay of the previous fight that they had during the three way spar. This time Sasuke capitalized on the few moments it took Sakura to get out of the Sharingan induced genjutsu.



"Sasuke is the winner. Please return to the logs." Kakashi then walked over to Sakura and shook her awake. Turns out she only would stay passed out for a few minutes, but in live combat, that is equivalent to death.

"Damn it! That was the same damn maneuver! "Sakura yelled, referring to their last fight.

"Naruto, report."

"Um... Sakura lost when Sasuke looked at her with the Sharingan for a moment. Then it was like she froze up for a moment, why is that?"

"When one makes eye contact with a Sharingan user, he or she may be placed under a Sharingan induced illusion. Sakura most likely either froze up from the effects of the genjutsu or to attempt to break the illusion; a luxury she didn't have time for.

"Naruto versus Sasuke. Begin."

Naruto lowered into what appeared to be the Academy taijutsu stance; however his form was obviously terrible. Sasuke lowered into the Intercepting Fist. Naruto almost immediately charged.

And was quickly driven into the ground behind Sasuke. He picked himself back up and summoned two Kage Bushin to help. They however were quickly dispatched and Naruto was again meeting with terra firma.

_"Arggh! Why can't I hit him? He hasn't even activated those stupid eyes of his yet!"_ When Naruto looked back up, completely forgetting Kakashi's comment on Sharingan genjustu, looked straight into the last Uchiha's eyes. They were red. Naruto could no longer feel his arms; or legs… or anything for that matter.

As Naruto was busy with the no nerves genjutsu, Sasuke proceeded to beat the hell out of him.

"That's enough. If this had been live combat, Naruto would've died several times over by now."

Sasuke walked over to the logs and sat down. Naruto was still cramping.

"Sasuke, undo the genjutsu."

Sasuke sighed, but complied. "Dobe."

"What happened? Why did I suddenly feel, err... nothing?"

"That was genjutsu. You forgot what I said a few minutes ago about the Sharingan, didn't you?"

"Damn." Naruto hissed under his breath.

"Naruto lost when he looked into Sasuke Kun's eyes. Then he failed to disrupt the genjutsu." Sakura reported, proud of her observations.



"Five minute break, then we will resume sparing."

**Five minutes Later**

"Naruto versus Sakura. Begin!" 

Naruto, who decided not to have a repeat of what happened with Sasuke, opted to make four Kage Bushin to surround Sakura, and wait for her to make the first move.

_"What do I do? I don't have the kind of firepower or Taijutsu prowess to fight four Narutos!" _Sakura inwardly panicked. **"Find the real Naruto Kun and put him under a genjutsu. He probably doesn't know how to break it." **_"I still have to deal with the fakes though."_

Sakura threw three kunai at the Naruto to her left and charged the Naruto to its left. She absentmindedly noted that even the slightest nick would dispel l a Kage Bushin as the kunai scratched the Naruto.

The Naruto she lunged at suddenly burst into smoke. During the momentary blindness the other three threw a wave of shuriken and followed up behind them.

Through sheer luck, none of the shuriken caused anything worse than a scratch. One of the Naruto's was dispelled by a rouge shuriken, while the remaining two wildly threw punches at her.

Sakura fell to the ground, but quickly got up and retreated enough to regain her bearings. She immediately punched the nearest Naruto with all her might. She noted that a strong hit, even if blocked will dispel a Kage Bushin.

Sakura threw two kunai at Naruto, and backed off far enough to make the handsigns for her favorite genjutsu. It made one believe that Sakura was three inches right of where she really was. Most shinobi would recognize it immediately, but then again, Naruto wasn't most shinobi.

Sakura proceeded to beat the hell out of Naruto, who couldn't seem to have depth perception anymore.

"That's enough. Sakura is the victor, and it was a good match." Kakashi said. Sakura swelled with the praise.

"The dobe lost because he can't even detect a genjutsu. How predictable."

As Naruto and Sakura sat back down by the logs Kakashi said. "Those were some good matches, team. I believe it is time for your reward." He tossed all three members of Team 7 a scroll.

"What are these for, sensei? I thought Naruto won the three way spar." Sakura asked, although excited at the prospect of learning a jutsu that might finally impress Sasuke Kun, she really wanted to know.



"Hm? Oh yeah." Kakashi tossed Naruto another, smaller scroll. "That is for winning the three way spar. It has a useful chakra control exercise in it. You've all earned the C ranked jutsu. That was just the initiative to get you to fight to fullest extent with your comrades. To reveal every secret is a great sign of trust." Kakashi lectured. 

Naruto and Sasuke inwardly winced.

"After lunch, I want you to work on the techniques in the scrolls. Dismissed."

**A Week Later**

Team 7 was at the mission reception center in the Hokage's tower. Iruka was at the desk today.

"This is Team 7 requesting a C ranked mission." Kakashi said. The rest of the team looked shocked at this. (Even Sasuke) They obviously had been expected to get trash duty. (Again) 

"Are you sure they are ready? Remember the last time?" Iruka asked, obviously worried.

"Yes." Was the deadpan response.

"Err… Right." Iruka dug around for an appropriate mission. "Ah! Here we go! A scroll delivery mission. Here are the details." He handed Kakashi two scrolls.

After Kakashi had read over the mission objectives, he handed the scroll back to Iruka. "We accept."

"What? We've done scroll deliveries as D rank missions' loads of times before! Why is this any different?" Naruto yelled outraged, remembering the times he had to deliver recipes to lazy restaurants.

"It just is. Pack your bags for two weeks. We're headed to Uzu no Kuni. Report to the front gate in one hour."

**Authors Note**

This chapter rocks! I did this mainly to emphasize that just because Naruto is really good with traps does not mean that Sasuke or Sakura can no longer beat him.

About the Sharingan training drill a few chapters back. I read about in some other fanfiction, and I feel really bad because I never could ask for permission since I don't remember which one it was. If someone could tell me which story it was from I would be real grateful.

**EDIT:**Okay a cramping genjutsu was a really bad idea. But it was the best that I could come up with at the time. The no nerves genjutsu basically cut Naruto off from his sense of touch. Imagine that feeling you get when your legs are asleep, but with your whole body. 

It's easy for anyone who knows anything about genjutsu to break since it is such an obvious change. But, this is Naruto we are talking about.



Sakura beat Naruto for a reason. 

To show just how bad Naruto sucks at genjutsu

I believe even Sakura can dodge Naruto's assault given three inches leeway.

Naruto needs his ass kicked by someone other than his rival or teacher. (Sakura) not doing this would give Naruto a gigantic ego

I like proving Sasuke wrong.


	6. The Forbidden Scroll of Seals

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

Pack your bags for two weeks. We're headed to Uzu no Kuni. Scroll delivery mission.

Ch6 The Forbidden Scroll of Seals

"Kakashi senei, where is Uzu no Kuni anyways?" asked our pink haired former rabid fan girl. (She isn't rabid anymore.)

"Whirlpool country is due west of the Land of Waves." Kakashi replied, wondering what the hell Iruka was teaching them back in the Academy.

"Sweet! We can visit Inari and my bridge on the way!"

"Uzu no Kuni is west of the Land of Waves not east. Dobe."

"So?"

"We're not going into the Land of Waves." Kakashi interjected.

"Aw. What are we delivering, anyway?"

"A scroll." 

"What's in the scroll?"

"I dunno."

"What do mean 'I dunno.' We saw you read it!" Naruto yelled.

"That was the mission objectives scroll. The scroll we are delivering we are not to read."

"Why?" Naruto and Sakura asked in unison.

"Our client requested that the information contained in the scroll remain confidential. Sometimes shinobi have to deliver confidential documents such as this. It most likely contains something of traditional importance."

"Why traditional?" Sakura inquired.

"If this scroll was of national importance, this mission would be B or even A ranked." Kakashi explained.

"Why can't we just read it anyway? It not like anyone would know." Naruto stubbornly asked.



"Imagine if we are at war and you have to deliver a secret document through enemy territory to an allied outpost. If you opened the scroll you would have to assume that the information was spied upon." Kakashi lectured. Naruto shuddered as he imagined the consequences of the enemy obtaining your top secret war plans. Sakura and Sasuke mentally shuddered a few seconds later as the implications dawned on them.

"Missions like these are to test to see who is trustworthy enough with that kind of intelligence." He noticed that a river was nearby and that the sun would be setting soon. "That's enough for today. We will set up camp by the river."

After camp was established and dinner was eaten, Kakashi wanted demonstration of how each of his genins were learning their new jutsu. 

**Flashback**

_"Each of these scrolls contains a jutsu that I believe would complement your styles very well." Kakashi said. _

_Naruto looked excited and immediately tore open his scroll. "Shuriken Kage Bushin no Jutsu."_

_"It is an extension of the Kage Bushin no jutsu. Instead of making entire solid bushins, you will be making mere copies of a shuriken." Naruto's eyes lit up as he imagined the trapping possibilities._

_"Sakura was obviously excited at the prospect of catching up to the boys, but opened her scroll in a dignified manner. "_**Raiton: raikou tama." (Lighning release: lightning shot)**

_**"It fires a small round of lightning out of your fingertips. I believe it's effective up to a range of about 15 meters." Sakura had a very bright smile at the thought of finally having a jutsu that had effective firepower.**_

_**"Sasuke was eager as well, but tried to hide it as he slowly opened his scroll. "**__Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu. "(Earth release: Inner decapitation technique) Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the choice of technique._

_"To be able to attack from below. A whole new plane of advantage to work with. I'm sure that you remember what it does." Kakashi eye smiled. Sasuke scowled, remembering the bell test, but slightly brightened at the thought of doing that to Naruto, or anyone else in his way._

Flashback Kai!

**Naruto was the first to step up to show his progress on his technique. Even though he performed it correctly on his first try, he still had trouble controlling just how many extra shuriken or kunai appeared.**

**"Remember, ten shuriken Naruto." Kakashi reminded him.**

**"Right. Just ten." Naruto muttered. **Shuriken Kage Bushin no Jutsu!** Thirteen shuriken hit the target that he had set up on one of the trees nearby. Two more missed.**

**"You're getting better. Only five extra this time. More control for you!" Kakashi observed with an eye smile.**

**By the time that it was Sasuke's turn, he had finished collecting and spreading out some head sized rocks that were found in the riverbed**. **Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu! **Sasuke sunk underground and one, two, tree, four out of five rocks were pulled under. He missed the other one.

"Damn!" He hissed after he pulled himself out of the ground. 

"You need to work on your aim some. And your control. I can see that the earth had been disturbed where you pulled the rocks down. I suppose you're good enough to use fist sized rocks to practice now." Kakashi lectured, pointing to the recently upturned patch of dirt.

Sakura had just finished setting up five of her own targets and had put on her gloves that she had bought after she discovered that messing up meant some painful chakra burns. Raiton: raikou tama!** All five fingertips lit up from the electricity being charged up. Three targets were hit. One missed by a couple of yards. The last charge never fired, singing her glove.**

**"Good. Your accuracy is getting better, and only one misfired this time. Once you can trust that you won't misfire any of them, I suggest you try firing while moving." Kakashi complemented.**

**"Hai!" Sakura looked very pleased at her progress.**

The Next Day

**Team 7 saw the forests of Fire country slowly turn into the swamps that surround the uninhabited portions of Uzu no Kuni. Sakura shuddered at the pure bleakness that an uninhabited foggy swamp could create.**

**"Ugh. How long till we get to Uzu no Kuni?" Sakura asked, clearly unnerved by the dark swamp.**

**"We are already in Uzu no Kuni. It will be another day to reach civilization at this speed." Kakashi replied.**

**"What's Uzu no Kuni like?" Naruto asked, obviously interested in anything with his name in it.**

**"It is a relatively peaceful land that is generally surrounded by forest or swamps. However it is located by the intersection of several rivers that connect them to the outside world."**

**"Being at an intersection; its economy must be booming." Sasuke noted.**

**"True. All in all, it is a fairly simple town with no real force of shinobi. Being such a key town, it is often targeted during war time for convenient trade routes. We of Konoha protect this place not only because of that but because many retired shinobi move here for the simple atmosphere."**

**When Team 7 stopped for the night, training resumed. Naruto needing control went back to the special exercise the Kakashi gave him. He called it the scroll rolling exercise. Naruto was to unroll a blank scroll, (the first time he tried this he set the scroll on fire and had to pay Kakashi to buy a new one.) Coat with chakra, and curl the chakra to roll the scroll back up all nice and tidy. **

**Naruto figured that his sensei must have noticed that he was having trouble rolling those Trapping scrolls back up neatly, as it usually took about fifteen minutes for him to roll a decent sized scroll back up neatly.**

**Naruto could get the scroll to roll back in a straight line, but his chakra tended to want to travel in wide arcs rather than the tight curls needed to complete this exercise. "Imagine a tight spiral' he says." Naruto grumbled as he reset his scroll. **

**He looked over to see Kakashi supervising his teammates water walking. As much as Naruto would like to laugh as Sasuke falling in, he remembered that it took him much longer than that to stay up for even a second. He saddened slightly when he noticed that sensei didn't heat the water every time one of them fell in. He figured that they didn't need to fix a chakra control problem ASAP; they were just learning how to do it.**

**Naruto might not have a crush on Sakura anymore, but that didn't mean that he didn't feel proud of her when she managed to water walk on her second try. (Not that he made any comment about it, as he was supposed to be busy.) That also didn't mean that he didn't find it funny when he realized that she had trouble staying up top for any long period of time and therefore fell in anyway.**

**The next morning when the dreary swamp gave way to the rolling plains near Uzu Kakashi declared that they were only a few hours away from their destination. **

"**Naruto." **

"**Hai? Kakashi sensei?" **

"**While we are in Uzu, don't be surprised if you meet someone who goes by Uzumaki."**

"**So I have family there?" Naruto asked, stupefied at this sudden possibility.**

"**Not likely, but I heard there is a tradition concerning the Uzumaki name. I don't remember what the details are, though." Kakashi replied.**

"**Oh." Naruto said, suddenly downcast.**

"**It probably wouldn't be a good idea to mention that your surname is Uzumaki around the locals. It might attract unwanted attention."**

"**But what if I was asked my name?" Yeah, he was used to shouting out his name for everyone to know in hopes of getting some attention.**

"**Tch. Many people don't have surnames. Dobe." Sasuke replied like that answered everything.**

"**Right." Naruto responded, who surprisingly enough, got the idea.**

"**Are we there yet?" **

"**Are we there yet?" **

"**You honestly can't see the village? Its not even 100 meters away now. Dobe."**

"**Teme!"**

"**Shut it! We're here! That's good enough!"**

**Kakashi was content to read his book in peace, knowing that even though they bickered sometimes, that they were still an effective team. He would know, after all he was still drilling them about teamwork in between the other new stuff still.**

**As they entered the town, Sakura and Naruto were amazed at just how much it looked like a more prosperous Wave. Lots of wooden cottages, set up to be a town, centered by a slightly larger building that looked like an office.**

"**That is where we will report." Kakashi informed his team, even though they were still a couple of minutes away.**

**The team noticed that nobody found it odd for Leaf shinobi to be traveling around in the open. No odd looks of respect just for wearing the headband, they just looked at team 7 like they were ordinary people. Except for Naruto. (Not that any of the genin noticed, they thought the looks were for their sensei.)**

**The former shinobi located in Uzu with a vague amount of respect, knowing that only the strongest of people could hope to contain such a fury as the Kyuubi and turn out halfway sane. These were the people who lost part of themselves during the attack. These were the ones that would've protected Naruto. **

**As Team 7 entered the office like building, they encountered a stereotypical desk clerk lady that most likely will never be mentioned again.**

**"You must be the team from Konoha. The major has been expecting you. Please go in." she said sweetly, noticing the forehead protectors.**

**When Kakashi knocked on the mahogany door, they heard a very bored, almost sleepy sounding voice. "Come in."**

**When Team 7 walked in, they saw a man in his mid thirties, with forest green eyes, and dark red colored hair fixed into a small ponytail. (Sasuke was reminded of the time someone dyed Itachi's hair red.) He was wearing a white t shirt and cargo pants and had a black jacket hoodie draped over the back of his (admittingly nice) chair. **

**Sakura and Naruto sweat dropped when they noticed the Kage style hat with the kanji for Uzukage written on it.**

**"What? A guy can dream, right?" The man said when he noticed what they had laid their eyes on. "Oh. That's right, introductions. My name is Uzumaki Sansai, mayor of Uzu.**

**Naruto's eyes widened. Sure, he was expecting for someone to call themselves Uzumaki, but he wasn't expecting it to be so soon. (Or be their client for that matter)**

**Sansai noticed this and answered the obvious question. "The Uzumaki was a great clan and founders of Uzu no Kuni. However they are no more, but it is tradition for the major to forgo their clan's surname in exchange for Uzumaki. "**

**"To honor the founder's right?" Sakura asked, connecting the dots.**

**"Bingo. Now, the scroll?" **

**Naruto rummaged in his bag for a few moments before giving it to the major.**

**"Let's see what Old Man Hokage has to say to me this time." At this the genin of Team 7 face vaulted.**

**"We went all this way just to deliver a NOTE?" Sakura screeched.**

**"More than that. I suppose you wouldn't know. You are only genin after all. Do you know of the Forbidden Scroll of Seals?" he asked, seemingly randomly. Sasuke and Sakura shook their heads no and their jaws hit the floor when Naruto nodded.**

**Sansai raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Okay, since you know so much, care to enlighten us all?"**

**"Err… The Forbidden Scroll of Seals contains all of the Kinjutsu of Konoha."**

**"Right. Now Konoha is not so stupid as to leave it under such low security that an Academy student could run off with it and have enough time before he was caught to learn a technique." By now he was staring pointedly at Naruto. **

**Naruto gulped.**

**"Isn't that right, Uzumaki Naruto?"**

**"Eh hehehe… How'd you know?" **

**"Tch. The **only** genin that would have any knowledge of that scroll is Uzumaki Naruto." By now Sasuke and Sakura were gaping having gotten the hint.**

**"The scroll that you found was a watered down version of the real deal. It had only the least gruesome techniques and only a brief summary of how to perform the jutsus. What you brought me is actually important enough to Konoha to warrant an A rank mission. However this is a fairly safe mission and it would be suspicious to send a team of Jounin to do something like deliver a scroll to a safe zone." He lectured.**

**"As much as we appreciate knowing what we were delivering, why are you telling us this?" Sasuke asked, having connected the Forbidden scroll question to the mission.**

**"I haven't told you anything. You figured it out on your own, as far as anyone knows." Sansai smiled cheerfully.**

"**If you think we deserve to know what we are delivering, why make it confidential in the first place." Naruto asked (quite loudly) obviously confused.  
"Sure, I've let you figure out what this scroll is about, but you really don't know what's written in here. Besides it wouldn't be healthy to just give a team of genin a kinjutsu scroll and not expect then to want to learn really powerful techniques."**

**"Why do you know all of this anyway?" Sasuke inquired, knowing that no outsider would know these things, even if they were allied with Konoha.**

**"He is a former shinobi of Konoha. He is Sansai the Lightning rod."**

_**Wait a sec...**_** Isn't he known for being to Kumo what the Yondiaime is to Iwa?" **

**"Yep. Took out an entire battalion all by myself. See, those thunder heads ought to have known better than to have struck the Lightning Rod."**

**"Sansai sempai." Kakashi interrupted.**

**"What?" Sansai asked, irritated that his story was interrupted.**

**"You're bragging again."**

**"Damn. You explain it, since I suck at not bragging."**

**"Right. One of Kumo's general's had developed an 'ultimate lightning technique' that was supposed to win them the war. Sansai however, had unknowingly developed a counter for it. They retreated thinking that everyone knew the technique. This led to the front against Kumo surrendering shortly afterwards."**

**As he Sansai looked at their disbelieving faces he said, "Still pretty awesome, huh?" He got three nods and one rolling eye in return. "Well, I guess that enough learning for today. You can stay here the night if you wish, after all, it would be nice to relax a bit before returning to Konoha, wouldn't it?" After he got three nods in confirmation he said, "I've rented a couple of hotel rooms for you. Have a nice time during your stay." Sansai finished cheerfully.**

**"After Team 7 left he saddened at the thought of having to do more paperwork, but then he remembered Sarutobi's scrolls. "Let's see how entertaining Konoha has been lately." **

Later…

**Sansai was in a secret room that was connected to his office. He was currently finishing up the latest entry in the Forbidden Scroll of Seals when he sensed someone come in. Unlike the portable scroll that Naruto stole, this is far too big to be reasonably carried as it was at least six feet tall.**

**"Ohayo Kakashi. You want to talk to me about something?"**

**Kakashi had a stern look in his eye although Sansai couldn't see it, as he was facing the other way. "Hai. Do you really think that it is a good idea to tell genin about the true location about the scroll?"**

**"Yes. They only know that there is a fake in Konoha and the original is somewhere in Uzu. Besides, anyone who has the intelligence to bypass all of the security seals I have here most likely already knows where this is."**

**"You let your mouth get away from you again, didn't you?**

**"…Shut up."**

**"Anyways… I didn't pass through any seals."**

**"That's because they are all on the Scroll itself. The only seal that you have passed through is the silence seal."**

**"But still, what if-"**

**"Then make them forget. You know how to perform the jutsu." Kakashi paled (although nobody could see) because he knew how inhumane that technique could be.**

**"Right. So what did Hokage sama send you?"**

**"Not much. Just list of the genin teams participating in the Chunin exams, a picture of Naruto desecrating the Hokage monument, a summons back to the village, and some other stuff.**

**"Why do they need you to return to the village?"**

**"He wants me to be there to observe the Oto nin. It is rumored that the Hebi is leading them after all. Besides, I haven't visited anyone in over twelve years."**

**"So, are we escorting you back?"**

**"I suppose. But you know how weird things are. The more powerful you are the more protection you need." He then started chuckling to himself.**

**"What?"**

**"Oh nothing, I just remembered when you said that you would perform seppeku before allowing someone on your team to wear kill me orange. "**

**Kakashi nervously scratched the back of his head. "I may have fixed that. I convinced Sakura to take him shopping sometime today. Although I doubt that she will manage to get him completely out of orange."**

Author's Note

**Yay! My longest chapter yet! I hope you like my choices in techniques for the guys (and Sakura) **

**I noticed that nobody ever writes about the 4****th****'s former teammates. It's not impossible that they are alive you know. I hope you like the way I've set up Uzu no kuni. I've not been able to find any info on it.**

**Thank you for the reviews. I feel special! **

**Thank you ArmorOfGeddon and chm01 for the sites they were real helpful.**

**Sansai- flood and Storm fitting for someone who goes by Uzumaki. No?**

**Uzumaki Sansai (original surname not revealed yet)**

**Age: 36**

**Occupation: mayor of Uzu, Guardian of the Scroll**

**Hair: dark red**

**Eyes: forest green**

**Sansai the Lightning Rod Developed counter for ultimate lightning jutsu. Probably has something to do with a absorbing lightning. A seal master who trained with the Yondiaime. Former genin teammate as well. **

**Other skills: unknown as of yet**

EDIT:**yeah, I didn't really like the way that Sansai was introduced last time… see if you can figure out the foreshadowing that is in this chapter.**


	7. New Clothes in a New Element

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

"**Why do they need you to return to the village?"**

**"I dunno. Something about a new mission. He probably figures I'd be of better use elsewhere."**

**"So, are we escorting you back?"**

**"I suppose. But you know how weird things are. The more powerful you are the more protection you need." He then started chuckling to himself**

**Ch 6New Clothes in a New Element**

"Oh! This will look cute on you!" A pink haired shopper squealed, holding up a perfectly ridiculous outfit.

"But-"

"This will look good on you!" She exclaimed, tossing another outfit towards her blond haired friend.

"But-"

"Oh! This will go great with that other jacket I found for you! Isn't that right, Naruto?" She looked towards her teammate who was buried under a pile of clothes.

Earlier that day, sakura had insisted that Naruto come shopping with her to get rid of that horrible orange jumpsuit. He protested that orange was an awesome color, but complies since he figured that what he bought would be his choice in the end. And he was getting frustrated with the genjutsu disrupting technique Kakashi had given him shortly after meeting Sansai.

"Urg." He groaned from under the leaning tower of clothes. He finally tipped it over and took a deep breath of fresh air. "Sakura I can't buy all of this. I'm only getting one outfit."

"But-"

"No. I only brought enough money to buy food and supplies to have a little left over. One is all that I am getting." He answered the unasked question firmly.



Naruto calmly walked over to the clothes racks and pulled out a shirt, a jacket, a pair of pants, a belt, and a pair of gloves, seemingly at random. He then walked into the changing room. (Him being familiar with it since he had to try on some of the outfits at Sakura's insistence.)

When he walked out, Sakura had to blush. It looked great! Wow, who knew that he could actually look good once out of that monster orange jumpsuit. She couldn't help but stare. Her inner self was ranting at her to ditch tall, dark, and broody for Naruto.

"What?" He was wearing a black jacket with dark orange trim and the standard red spiral on the back. (Unzipped) under it was a plain gray muscle shirt with the kanji for Uzumaki on it. His pants were ankle length, colored black with an orange stripe running down the sides. On his hands were the red fingerless gloves. (He would ask Kakashi sensei where he could get metal plates put on them later.)

Sakura was blushing lightly. "Good, huh?" She nodded.

Naruto went back in, changed his clothes, walked out, grabbed a grey facemask and bandanna, paid for his stuff, and left. He figured that they would be useful for disguising his identity when necessary. Sakura was left to clean up to giant tower of clothes.

Later, after Naruto had put his new clothes in their hotel room, he went out to train. He found a clearing with a large pond and a few trees in it. Kakashi was reading his book peacefully in on of the upper branches. Sasuke was alternating between practicing the Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu and the Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu. His underground control had gotten much better as he almost always hit the small rocks that he had scattered around the field.

Naruto sat down next to the tree Kakashi was reading in and silently tossed up Basic Strategy: Scroll Four while Kakashi dropped down scroll number five. "Arigato." 

Kakashi then used a genjutsu that produced several phantasms for Naruto to see. After all it is easier to practice breaking genjutsu by practice than by theory. What he was to do is to temporarily halt to flow of chakra in his body. Doing so would break the genjutsu as it would not have an anchor to latch onto anymore.

In a word, he sucked at it. No matter how hard he tried he could never get the flow to completely stop. It was as if there was a force acting against it. He blamed Kyuubi.

After a couple of hours of doing this, he was slightly frustrated. That would be the understatement of the year. He decided to practice the Shuriken Kage Bushin no Jutsu while water walking as it seemed to calm him down. The phantasms started to nag him about practicing his genjutsu dispelling technique.

About an half an hour later Sakura had shown up to run through her laps, punches, kicks, and genjutsu. Halfway through, she decided to play a little prank on Naruto who seemed to be too immersed in water walking to notice. Kakashi sensei told her that genjutsu was more of a invent your own thing rather than a thing that has to be taught. Once she started to play around with it a little, she discovered 

that she could disguise her **raikou tama as a kunai or shuriken. (or other object) She knew that Naruto was now good enough with his ninja weaponry to try to catch it rather than dodge. She also knew that she would get in trouble, but he left her to clean up all of those clothes. That's the guy's job! He didn't even get any of the outfits she had chosen for him!**

**Naruto saw her throw the 'shuriken' at and figured it was revenge for leaving her at the store. He promptly dodged the lightning shot and smirked. "You forgot to mask the sound, Sakura." He yelled. He chuckled to himself when he saw that she was silently fuming. He decided to go back to the genjutsu dispelling technique since he managed to only two extra shuriken this time and none of them missed their target.**

About half an hour later Sansai showed up to check on how the Konoha shinobi were doing. Pinky looked to be practicing genjutsu. Broody looked to practicing a kunai throwing drill where you had to hit a target that was behind a blind spot. The orange guy seemed to be trying (and failing) to dispel a genjutsu that had been placed on him. Knowing that due to his tenant, halting his flow of chakra would be near impossible, he decided to show him an alternate genjutsu dispelling technique.

"Hey, kid."

Naruto jumped as he did not notice him arrive. "_Was I that deep in concentration?"_

"You know, there is a better way to dispel a genjutsu." Sansai drawled.

"What is it?" he asked excitedly. He was obviously frustrated with trying to halt his chakra.

"The Chakra Pulse. Rather than disrupting the anchor, it cuts the genjutsu off from its source. Normally it only has a maximum range of a about a yard, but with your condition, it will be perfect."

Naruto tensed when Sansai said that he knew about his condition but relaxed when he sensed no ill will. "So I just pulse my chakra outwards?"

"Right. Just get closer to the lazy bum every time that it doesn't work."

Naruto pulsed his chakra. The results were… well let's just say that Sakura was surprised when her genjutsu suddenly shut off.

"Thanks Sansai sensei!"

"Oi! Kakashi!"

"Hm?"

"I think your team is ready for the next step."

"Hm. You're right. What kind of evaluation test should I give them?" He seemed to be talking more to himself than to Sansai.



Sansai jumped up to the branch that Kakashi was reading on. (Yes, he was still reading his book.) "When I go back to Konoha, I will most likely be reintegrated into the shinobi force. I figure that it would be a good warm up for them to pass my test."

"Okay. What are you going to have them do?"

"You'll see. You got one of your famous bells?"

"Yeah." Kakashi pulled two bells out from his kunai pouch.

Sansai grabbed one and jumped down from the tree. By then Naruto had gathered the Rest of Team 7 and were waiting for the test. "All right kids. You goal is to get this bell from me by any means necessary. You have one hour." 

"Sansai sensei, why are you doing this and not Kakashi sensei?" Naruto asked, thinking that Sansai was just a guy that sat behind a desk all day.

"I'm coming back to Konoha, and so I need to start training again."

"Why is there only one bell?" Sakura asked, thinking of the bell test.

"This isn't a test of whether or not you are capable of teamwork, but rather a test of your capabilities."

"One more question. Why are you still in civilian garb?" Sakura inquired.

"Even if I have been sitting behind a desk for several years, I'll never hear the end of it if I get beat a team of fresh genins. It shouldn't matter that I'm still in civilian garb." That oughta set them off. Sansai suddenly dodged a punch aimed for his spine and shoved Sasuke, who overextended, into a face plant. "Nice try, but I haven't said start yet. Start."

The trio nodded to each other and moved to hide in the light tree cover. They began to signal to each other to agree on a plan.

"_Their teamwork so far is halfway decent." _Sansai thought as he followed what Team 7 was signing. _"Although they ought to know better than to use the same code we used in the war. And they shouldn't have to retreat just to come up with a plan. An hour goes by awfully fast."_

Fifty minutes later… 

"_All right. They decided on an attack from below, then a lightning jutsu from my left, then a shuriken barrage, then a fire jutsu from my original position, and lastly an all out charge. A good plan, considering that they know nothing of my skills other than what the history books say, and that they are only genin. I wonder what happened to all that genjutsu that Pinky was working on earlier." _ Just then Sansai felt a hand grab at his ankle. _Áh, it begins."_ Sansai kicked upwards uprooting one Sasuke with it. He followed up with a roundhouse kick, sending Sasuke straight into Sakura.



Who just fired off the raikou tama. Naturally, the two objects collided, giving Sasuke several second degree chakra burns.

"Sasuke kun, are you alright?"

"Hn. Keep on moving." Sasuke grunted as he pushed himself back up. Sakura retreated to the trees and performed the kanchi katawa no jutsu. (Perception distortion technique) _"When Naruto does his kunai barrage Sansai will have trouble dodging or catching since everything will appear a half inch to the left, especially if he underestimates us like Kakashi sensei almost did."_

**Kunai Kage Bushin no Jutsu!** Was heard from behind Sansai's original position. A throw of three kunai turned in to rain of thirty. (Plus two)

"Urk!" the grand majority of the kunai all hit the mark. Some went all the way through and impaled on the ground.

Sakura paled. "Naruto, how could you? You killed him!" She was on the verge of tears.

From his perch, Naruto thought, "_I didn't throw any of the kunai hard enough to go all the way through someone." _

At the same time, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to check the corpse. His eyes widened. He had to tell Sakura that it was a genjutsu! "Sa-" 

**Shinkan jutsu**. (Silence technique) Whispered a voice from behind him. Sasuke heard the whoosh of someone Shushining. 

A voice whispered into Naruto's ear. **Heki takai** (false death) someone grabbed Naruto shoulder. **Kanchi Katawa no jutsu **(perception distortion technique)

Naruto suddenly noticed a massive wave of vertigo overcome him, but remembered that the kanchi katawa was a genjutsu. He pulsed his chakra outwards hoping to reach his teammates, who were most likely also under a genjutsu.

An image of a dead Sansai suddenly left Team 7's eyes, Naruto no longer felt a sense of vertigo, and Sasuke could talk again. (Not that anyone noticed)

Sansai jumped to another tree and noticed that there were traps set up along most of the trees. _"Guess there are a few Kage Bushin roaming around here. Naruto must've had tem set up traps while they were planning."_

Twenty shuriken were fired at Sansai and he dropped down to the ground to avoid them. He saw a goukakyu no jutsu to his right and some raikou tama to his left. He sighed. **Ninpou: Jutsu seisatsu! **(Ninja arts: justu reflection) Now the fireball and lightning shots were headed towards Sasuke and Sakura respectively.



Both dodged in the nick of time, sporting only light chakra burns. Three Naruto's jumped out of the bushes and Sansai's watch went off.

"One hour."

The two Naruto clones dispelled themselves and all three groaned, thinking that they would have to spend the rest of the time on the way home working on perfecting justu that they felt that they had already mastered.

"Would you like to tell me why you lost?" Sansai asked in a cheerful voice.

"Because you know more jutsu than us?" Sasuke.

"Because you are faster than us?" Naruto.

"…" Sakura.

"Partially. That maneuver might've actually thrown me for a loop if I hadn't of known what you were going to do already."

"Huh?" was the collective response.

"You used the same code we used back in the Third Great Shinobi War. For a vet like me, deciphering it is practically second nature. You would've had a better chance if Pinky hadn't of panicked when she saw my 'dead' body. I shouldn't fault you for that though. Most people who haven't seen death before tend to do that." Sansai lectured.

"What did you think, Kakashi?"

Kakashi snapped his book shut. "They are ready. We will start the next step tomorrow before we set out. Dismissed!"

After the genin's left, Kakashi asked, "So, what kind of training seal have you invented this time? Normally, you wouldn't use Shushin to move at those speeds."

"That's for me to know and for you to maybe find out. I'll tell you one thing though; it has the potential to turn even the lightest movement into a workout." Sansai left to change into something more appropriate for training.

Later, upon agreeing to see what someone who could defeat the three of them so easily called training, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto followed Sansai to a more forested training area. 

Sansai wore is Konogakure hiaite on his forehead. He wore a sleeveless, black jacket that went down to mid thigh. He wore a kunai pouch on each leg, suggesting that he was ambidextrous. He wore blue shinobi pants, (not unlike Naruto's new ones.) and on his feet were black, open toed, shinobi sandals.



They noticed the intricate seals on the backsides of Sansai's arms while he was stretching. The two most noticeable was one with the kanji for thunder in the middle on the underside of his right forearm. The other most noticeable one was a circle on each palm with a line that ran up his arm and down under his grey, sleeveless, shirt.

Sansai bit his thumb and wrote something one his right palm. He suddenly seemed to be weighed down some. He formed four Kage Bushins and had them surround them. "You know the drill" He said to them. 

The clones started to throw kunai at him. It started with a volley of five from each clone. The kunai, by some unseen force returned to the clones. They used the Kunai Kage Bushin no jutsu to create a total of about a hundred kunai. 

Sansai dodged them all. The kunai lifted themselves out of the ground and started slashing at Sansai as if wielded by invisible people. Sansai doesn't have a scratch on him yet.

Sasuke activated his Sharingan. He signed to Naruto and Sakura. _They are controlled by chakra strings._ They nodded in understanding. He deactivated the Sharingan not wanting to waste chakra.

After ten minutes of continuous dodging, a lightly bloodied Sansai suddenly shouted **Kyokusei no Jutsu!** (Polarity technique) All of the kunai suddenly stopped in midair. They impaled themselves into the surrounding trees and the ground, ring first.

"That oughta give them a good show." He said to himself, referring to the Team that had bolted when the projectiles came their way. "Next!"

The Next Day

Kakashi held up three slips of paper to his genins. "This paper is made from chakra sensitive wood. When you push some chakra into it, it will react according to you chakra affinity. It will burst into flames for fire, get wet for water, crumble to dust for earth, crumple, for lightning, and split in half for wind. He showed them his by crinkling one of the sheets.

"What's Sansai sensai's affinity?" Sansai (who was back in civilian garb) silently grabbed one sheet and his chakra split it in half. "Wind."

Sasuke took his sheet and it crumpled. He smirked. "Lightning."

Naruto took his sheet and it was sliced in half. "Woo Hoo! Wind!"

Sakura took her sheet and it crumbled into dust. She smiled. "Earth.  
Sansai started his lecture. "Those who have a lightning affinity generally think and do things in the most straight forward fashion. Those who are wind are fast, either in body or in mind. Earth is the great protector. She who will do anything to protect what is hers."



"These are the first exercises." Kakashi interrupted as he began to explain and show how they are done.

Jutsu List

**kanchi katawa no jutsu**. (Perception distortion technique)- genjutsu that distorts one's perception. Sakura likes to use it to make things appear to be several inches to the right or left. Sansai used it to give Naruto a sense of vertigo. The part of perception affected affects the difficulty of the technique.

**Shinkan jutsu**. (Silence technique)- genjutsu that tricks someone's mind into believing that they cannot use their vocal cords.

**Heki takai** (false death) – Genjutsu that creates a phantasm that depicts one's gruesome death. Sansai purposely make his overdramatic to give Team 7 a chance at noticing.

**Ninpou: Jutsu seisatsu **(Ninja arts: justu reflection)- Ninjutsu that creates a weak barrier that reflect low level elemental jutsu upon it's caster.

**Kyokusei no Jutsu!** (Polarity technique) - Creates a magnetic field that repels any lightweight, and not tied down metallic object away from the caster 

**Author's Notes**

I think that this chapter turned out pretty good. Tell me what you think of some of Sansai's abilities so far. I hope that Naruto didn't suddenly change too much. The Chakra Pulse came from the story Team 8 by S'TarKan. Remember Sansai has a special training seal that has allowed him to stay in shape even with his desk job over the years. Please review, as it inspires me to write better stories.

**EDIT:**This chapter just needed to have some minor details changed.


	8. Beginnings and the Return

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

Kakashi held up three slips of paper to his genins. "This paper is made from chakra sensitive wood. When you push some chakra into it, it will react according to you chakra affinity. It will burst into flames for fire, get wet for water, crumble to dust for earth, crumple, for lightning, and split in half for wind. He showed them his by crinkling one of the sheets.

"What's Sansai sensei's affinity?" Sansai (who was back in civilian garb) silently grabbed one sheet and his chakra split it in half. "Wind."

Sasuke took his sheet and it crumpled. He smirked. "Lightning."

Naruto took his sheet and it was sliced in half. "Woo Hoo! Wind!"

Sakura took her sheet and it crumbled into dust. She smiled. "Earth.  
Sansai started his lecture. "Those who have a lightning affinity generally think and do things in the most straight forward fashion. Those who are wind are fast, either in body or in mind. Earth is the great protector. She who will do anything to protect what is hers."

"These are the first exercises." Kakashi interrupted as he began to explain and show how they are done.

Ch8 Beginnings and the Return

Konoha was about two days away. Teams 7 (plus Sansai) were at an oddly familiar place.

Kakashi looked the remnants of the camp. "Isn't this where we stayed on the way here?"

His students gulped. "Erm… Hai." They muttered, knowing that they were supposed to have cleaned up to the point of not being able to tell that there was ever a camp there. 

"And you never checked to see if they actually did their job, Kakashi?" Sansai deadpanned.

"Guess here is as good a place as any to stop for the day." Kakashi quipped, trying to change the subject. "You know what to do."

As the trio were beginning to walk off Sansai interrupted the usual routine. "I'll go get the wood and water."

Sakura tried to protest. "But-"



"Look, I'm the client, so what I say goes."

"Anything else you would like to rearrange?" Kakashi asked, somehow knowing that he was not going to get to pleasantly read while Sansai is in charge.

"Hai. Go get food Kakashi."

"Sansai sempai, you know that these missions are to give genins in these kinds of experience!"

"I know. But they have been genin for a full six months. If they don't know how to hunt, set up camp, and make a defensive perimeter, then they might as well hand in their forehead protectors now. Their time would be far better off spent training."

"But they still need the practice." Yes, Kakashi was trying very hard to get a chance to read his book, even though Sansai put up some very good points. However when he looked up to see a response, all he saw was that Sansai was already walking away. He inwardly sighed. "You heard him. Get training!"

So while the adults were doing the genin's usual job. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto dived right back into their new elemental training. Naruto's wind manipulation exercise was that he had to cut a leaf in twain using only his chakra. Naruto figured out fairly quickly that in order to cut something, you needed a sharp object. So, to cut the leaf, you had to make your chakra sharp. However, knowing what to do and knowing how to do it are two very different things. So far Naruto hasn't even managed an eighth of inch worth of cutting power.

Sasuke's lightning manipulation exercise was that he had to figure out how to make a spark arc between two senbon using only his chakra. So far, he has no idea how to actually do it. All he has managed to accomplish is making the senbon red hot by flooding them with chakra. It wasn't pretty and neither was Sasuke after he saw that Naruto had made an ounce of progress.

All Sakura had to do for earth manipulation was to press her hand to the ground and use chakra to pull up a full fistful of dirt. She had managed to get a small handful of dirt after just a couple of tries, but when she showed Kakashi, he said that the object of the exercise to get a clump of dirt larger than the size of your fist. So, once again, her main problem was that she couldn't push enough chakra out at once. Needless to say, it frustrated her, never mind that she was doing better than Naruto or Sasuke Kun. She wouldn't be happy until the drill was done to perfection.

So, after the hour it took to set up camp, get water, food and wood, make a fire and cook dinner the genins hadn't gotten anywhere. Ok, if you squinted, you might see that Naruto' cuts are slightly longer, but that's another story.

While they were eating the roasted deer, (yes, if Kakashi hunts, he's gonna go for bigger game than fish.) the four talked about how training was when Sasuke asked Sansai how he first got into sealing. He figured that to be worthy to guard the Forbidden Scroll, you had to be good at Fujinjutsu.



Sansai exhaled, getting ready for a long story. (I guess he forgot that no one has mentioned that he is into Fujinjutsu yet.) "I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you. Back when I was a Chunin, I really didn't have all that much going for me. I was considered a Taijutsu specialist back then, meaning I was fast and I knew more Taijutsu than most people. However, I didn't want to be one dimensional. So I decided to branch out. I didn't have the chakra stores for high level Ninjutsu. I had the control for genjutsu, but that wasn't really my thing. So when Minato asked if I would go into fujinjutsu with him, I agreed. Most seals don't consume very much chakra. Only the most advanced seals do that, and most of them are medical seals."

"Wait, who's Minato?" Naruto asked, only having heard him referred to as

"The Yondiaime."

"Yeah, he wanted a buddy that he could bounce ideas off of that would understand a word he said."

"Huh?" was the collective response.

"People tend to use large words when talking about sealing." Kakashi supplied while reading his book, as he had already finished with his One-Second-Eating jutsu and already knew all of this anyway.

"What about the Justus you used on us?" Sakura asked.

"Standard Jounin. Most if not all Jounin would know those techniques."

"Can you teach me one?" Naruto asked, always ready to learn a new technique.

"No. Ask Kakashi." 

"Well, Kakashi sensei?"

"No."

"Aww. Why not?"

"You still haven't finished what you're working on."

Sansai interrupted. "I'm gonna hit the hay, and I suggest you do too. We'll be moving out at dawn." Needless to say, this statement caused quite the reaction. Sasuke 'hn'ed.' Naruto's eyes widened, but nodded in consent, knowing that Sansai hadn't been wrong yet. Sakura, however widened her eyes, paled, and started to inwardly fume. Her inner self was ranting about beauty sleep or something like that. The only reason she didn't outwardly protest was that none of the others were complaining and that she knew that she had no real way of changing Sansai's mind.

The next two days were fairly uneventful if you down count Sakura's major case of 'I don't wanna get up' and the fact that after she did, for the next four or so hours she shifted between a mental state worse than PMS and being a zombie. This happened on both days, Sansai giving an excuse about 

how this is practically mandatory during A ranked missions and that they might as well get used to it. Sakura privately thought that Sansai was a sadistic bastard worse than Kakashi when he decides that she needs to up her training. 

When Konoha's gates came into view, everyone gave a sigh of relief that that a mission had gone all according to plan. (Except for the escort, but that's not really a problem.) 

Sansai had a small smile planted on his face. "Looks like the village recovered well, last time I was here, it was still in ruins it will be nice to be able to see everyone again."

Naruto was back to his overly hyper self. "Ramen! I can't wait! It's been so long since I've had the food of the gods!"

"Shut up! We already know what you think about ramen!"

"Hn."

When they got to the gate, the Chunin guard asked for ID and his eyes widened when he saw Sansai's. "Sansai sama, welcome back to the village. " The guard then whispered, "Go immediately to the Hokage tower, there is a Jounin meeting taking place. That means you, Kakashi." The two nodded.

Once inside the village Kakashi eye smiled. "Alright Team 7, mission accomplished! I'm sure you would like to go home and relax. Go to the hot springs, maybe?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, sensing the obvious amount of 'go away' in his sensei's voice. However that train of thought was immediately sidetracked when Sakura squealed and dragged the two boys off to the hot springs.

As they ambled toward the Hokage Tower Sansai wondered. "Wonder what's so important that they would tell the Chunin guard to alert you if you showed up?"

"Beats me."

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The Sandaime was speaking. "So now that Orochimaru has started to move, it is likely that he will invade during the Chunin Exam finals. We will need to station-" the front door to the tower was opening slowly, almost creepily slowly.

"Yo." Said a familiar late voice.

"Did we miss anything?" asked a voice that few people had heard in over a decade.

The third was for once thoroughly surprised. He wasn't expecting Kakashi to be back for another few days, training his team and whatnot. "Err... yeah. You see, Oto has-"



"SANSAI SENSEI!!" yelled one over exuberant Gai, who leaped in to the air towards an unsuspecting Sansai. GLOMP!

"Urk! Nice to... see you… too Gai, but… can't… breathe! " A quickly turning blue Sansai wheezed out.

"Err… sorry, but my flames of youth so brightly that I could not control myself!" 

A few minutes later, after Sansai turned back to his regular color, he asked, "Gai, how many bets have you lost lately?"

"None! I would never be so unyouthful as to gamble!"

Sansai had an 'are you fucking kidding me' look on his face. "That's funny. All I remember back when I was a Jounin sensei was a kid who was so competitive that he would place bets on anything just for the challenge."

"Um… Sansai sempai, he acts like that all the time." Kakashi whispered.

Sansai now had a 'what he hell' look on his face. "Forget it. I don't wanna know."

Sarutobi interrupted, "Can we please get back to the business at hand?" He nodded at the resulting silence. "Sansai, Kakashi, stay after so that I can reiterate what you've missed while you've been gone. Now as I was saying before I got interrupted, there will be three ANBU squads stationed in the audience, and the rest will be guarding the walls and borders…

**Later…**

"Sansai, Kakashi, I good that you are back. It seems that things are worse than originally thought."

"Yeah, I figured that. I only came cause you said I could observe the way Oto shinobi fight. But we're on the edge of war again aren't we?"

The Sandaime sighed. "Hai. Hayate Gekko found an Oto conspiring with a Suna Jounin to make an alliance to attack the leaf. It is mostly because their daimio is giving all of the missions that normally go to Sunagakure to outside lands. We have also found that Orochimaru is in the area and is most likely leading the Oto Nin. 

"So he attacked Anko Chan through her curse seal?" Sansai asked, remembering the shy, broken little girl that Orochimaru had abandoned. Sarutobi nodded. 

I guess I'd better go see her then. I may have found a way to seal it off, if not completely remove it. I'd have to compare notes with Ero sensei first though. If he's following his regular pattern, he's probably peeping on the ladies that came to see the Chunin exams right now.

**Earlier at the hot springs…**



After Sakura dragged the two boys to the hot springs, she demanded that they pay for all three of them, saying that guys should always buy a girl something nice every once in a while. Sasuke's face clearly wrote 'No. I have better things to do than pay for your benefit.' Naruto just wanted to know why he was expected to pay for her relaxation when he knows the Sakura has more money on hand than he does.

So after the boys' paid, Sakura squealed and ran off to the girl's side. Sasuke just started to walk off. 

"Hey, teme! You paid to get in here; you might as well enjoy it!" Naruto said.

"Tch. I have better things to do than bathe with you. _ Like looking through my families scrolls for instructions on how to make those stupid senbon spark."_ Yeah, that shut Naruto up real quick.

So a few minutes after Sasuke left Naruto was relaxing in the hot springs. (Cause he sure as hell wasn't wasting his hard earned money) he heard a girlish sounding giggle in the direction of the dividing wall between the men and women. He also knew that there was a peep hole around that area. (He had to research the Oiroke no Jutsu somehow)

When Naruto turned his head to look and see who it was all he saw was a white mane, suggesting that it was just some old fart who was peeping on his teammate. No, Naruto would not tolerate that. (Partially because it would be hell for him if she found out that he let it happen.)

"HEY! AREN'T YOU TOO OLD TO BE PEEPING?"

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Sansai looked to be deep in thought. "Hey, old man."

Sarutobi looked slightly irritated at the lack of respect, but looked up.

"If the Hebi is leading this whole war, do you think that he might just be doing this to get back at you for not making him the Yondiaime?" The third nodded in response.

Sansai started to walk out. "It was great seeing you again old timer, but if you are the target of this whole thing, you might want to consider nominating a Godiaime soon. You're not as young as you used to be." And with that he left to reacquaint himself with Konoha.

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**Author's Note**

Arghh! This chapter was so hard to write! It took forever to find a halfway decent excuse for Sansai to spill about his past some and I'm still not entirely happy with it. This is defiantly not one of my best chapters. 



But yeah, Naruto is meeting Jiraiya and is somehow going to leech some training off of it. Sasuke is stumped for once in his life. (Thank god!) And Sakura actually made Sasuke do something against his will!

Hopefully you like this chapter more than I do, but if you don't, please tell what the hell is wrong with it!

Over and Out.

Eye of the Blizzard 

**EDIT:**Yeah, Sansai is a braggart and he likes to talk about himself a lot. 


	9. Perverted Reunion

Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form

Previously… 

"So he attacked Anko Chan through her curse seal?" Sansai asked, remembering the shy, broken little girl that Orochimaru had abandoned. Sarutobi nodded. 

I guess I'd better go see her then. I may have found a way to seal it off, if not completely remove it. I'd have to compare notes with Ero sensei first though. If he's following his regular pattern, he's probably peeping on the ladies that came to see the Chunin exams right now.

XX

When Naruto turned his head to look and see who it was all he saw was a white mane, suggesting that it was just some old fart who was peeping on his teammate. No, Naruto would not tolerate that. (Partially because it would be hell for him if she found out that he let it happen.)

"HEY! AREN'T YOU TOO OLD TO BE PEEPING?"

XX

Sansai started to walk out. "It was great seeing you again old timer, but if you are the target of this whole thing, you might want to consider nominating a Godiaime soon. You're not as young as you used to be.

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Ch 9Perverted Reunion

"HEY! AREN'T YOU TOO OLD TO BE PEEPING?"

At the shout, the old geezer slowly turned his head to look at the bastard that just ruined such a great day of research. His eyes widened when he saw a messy mop of sun kissed hair that was almost identical to his late student's hair. 

Unfortunately, (or not) Jiraiya was broken out of his daze by an electrical shot that when right through the thin, plywood separator, courtesy of Sakura. When the wall came down, the two men saw a mob of about twenty women, all armed with the fists of righteous fury, and clothed with a towel.

The old pervert quickly plotted of a way to punish the little gaki who had gotten him into this mess, because he saw enough kunoichi that would know him by reputation that he knew that he would not get out of this unscathed. The question was, how? Oh, there's an idea.



"Oi, don't mind us ladies, me and my apprentice were just having a talk about meditation practices-"

"OI! I'M NOT YOU'RE APPRENTICE, YOU ERO-BAKA!" Shouted Naruto, who noticed that his teammates hand was still glowing with four more lightning shots.

"Yes you are! You agreed to become my legacy in the way of writing!" Jiraiya then had the sheer audacity to pull an Icha Icha Violence from who knows where to emphasize the point.

Naruto paled, knowing that no amount of denial of this statement was going to save him from a beating of a lifetime from the women, and more importantly Sakura, who knew some of his Oiroke no Jutsu exploits. (He had also read Icha Icha in researching that department.)

The women charged.

Several Minutes Later…

Jiraiya was now a steaming heap and Naruto looked to be in worse shape. However, Naruto burst into smoke and the original crawled out of the nearby bushes, silently thanking Kami for his uber stealth skills. He only had the Raikou Tama burns and a few bruises on his person.

Naruto glared at the hermit, who was slowly pulling himself up into a sitting position. "You'd better mean the whole apprentice thing, cause I sure as hell didn't go through that for no reason."

"So you really want to learn about the finer things in life?"

"Tch. Hell no. I got better things to do than write Hentai. Only a ninja could survive such a beating and remain relatively unscathed." Naruto noted, glanced at the older man's unmarred skin. He continued, "I want you to teach me a kickass Ninjutsu!"

"_The kid must be in severe denial of his own perverted tendencies if he knows about my book. I wonder what kind of excuse he'll give?_ Why would you, a minor, know of my precious works of art?"

Naruto sighed, "My sensei reads that _thing _all the time. Now seriously, teach me something kickass!"

"No."

"Why?" Naruto pouted.

"_That is a very well put together Pout no Jutsu._ I won't teach any random brat."

"Random? I'm not random! Wait, you don't know who I am?" He asked, knowing that like him or hate him, everyone in Konoha had heard of him.

"_Yes, you are the legacy of the Yondiaime, and vessel for the Kyuubi no Kitsune. But you probably don't know that._ No, should i?"



Naruto smirked and activated a smoke bomb. (Where the hell did he get that? They're still in their towels!) As the smoke was clearing, Jiraiya saw a fully dressed Naruto doing a little jig that was oddly reminiscent of his own intro jig. 

"I am the man who lights up the town known as Konogakure no Sato. I am the greatest prankster to have ever blessed this land. When the villagers hear that I am active, they will lock their doors to no avail! I am the only ninja who is bold enough and daring enough to wear the color that is orange! I will become the greatest Hokage ever to have existed! I am future Hokage; Uzumaki Naruto!"

"_You may be the next super perv yet! _You're not wearing very much orange.Jiraiya deadpanned, staring at Naruto's black with orange strips outfit.

"Eh, heh, heh, heh… I made that up back when I wore an orange jumpsuit. I haven't had time to make a new one yet. So who are you?"

"_It would be weird if I did my normal dance. I guess I'll just have to settle for that._" He Shushined to a nearby bridge, suddenly dressed, on top of a toad bigger than he was. 

"I am Myouboku Mountain's Monk of the Frog Spirits. Also known as the Gama Sennin! I am also a writer of great novels! Women fall for my charm as bees fly to nectar! I am the one, the only, I am the great, and the powerful Jiraiya Sama!"

"So what are you gonna teach me first, Ero Sennin?"

"Respect your elders, gaki!"

"Hai. Ero oji sama."

"I won't teach someone who can't appreciate my beautiful works of art!"

"You mean you're books?" 

"Hai."

"They were a good read-"

"Hah! They don't sell my books to minors!"

"So? The moment I got my forehead protector, I became an adult in the eyes of the public!" Yep, Naruto has been hanging around Sakura _Way _too much.

"_So this gaki isn't as dumb as his father was at his age._ So you are a pervert." Insert lecherous grin here.

"No! I'm not a pervert! I defeat perverts! Oiroke no Jutsu!" This action resulted in bulging eyes, blushing face, severe nosebleed, slight concussion, instant erection, and completely forgetting the fact that this was a preadolescent boy under a Kage Henge.



A few minutes later, after Jiraiya had woken up from slamming his head against the ground via nosebleed, he grumbled. "I'll teach you on one condition."

"Yatta! What is it?" Naruko asked excitedly.

"You gotta stay like that the whole time."

Naruto immediately dispelled the Henge. "Hell no! You're nothing more than an old perv!"

Jiraiya actually _pouted. _"No. I'm a Super Pervert!"

"I'm not going to teach such an insolent brat." And he ran off. This led Naruto on a chase that ran all the way through Konoha and back.

About a minute later a voice came from the destroyed ruins of the hot spring. "You know Ero sensei; you should probably give the kid a chance. He'll probably figure out that he's chasing a Kage Bushin soon, and you do have a duty as his godfather."

A surprised Jiraiya leapt up from his hiding place in the trees. "Sansai gaki, what are you doing here?"He knew that there was someone there but was surprised that it was Sansai.

"I was recalled back into the force. Now answer the question, Ero sensei."

"Not you too!" he sighed. "If the boy doesn't have enough determination or skill to find my clone, then the gaki isn't worth teaching."

"Right. So, we're at war again, huh?"

"Hell no. You're at war. I'm going to conduct research and nothing more."

"What about teaching Uzumaki?"

Jiraiya sagged, clearly seeing the set up that his last remaining student was preparing. "Fine I'll stay long enough to teach him something"

Sansai smirked. "Good. Glad I didn't have to beat in the whole sticking to your word that you used to beat into us."

"It's been a long time hasn't it."

"Yeah… Remember when Kairai Chan sent all her puppets after Minato when you first convinced him to go peeping with you?"

Jiraiya chuckled, rubbing his face as if remembering a pain. "Yeah. Remember when she found out that introducing Kakashi to Icha Icha was your idea?"



Sansai winced, remembering how long he was in the hospital after that incident. "Come on. I've got sake at my place."

"I never knew you drank." Jiraiya said, looking slightly offended.

Sansai smirked. "You don't know a lot of things Ero sensei."

The super perv had the decency to look vaguely insulted.

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Ever since he had ditched Naruto at the hot springs, Sasuke had been scouring the _entire_ Uchiha district for some Raiton jutsu scrolls. Evidently, he forgot that the Uchiha was a clan of fire.

"Alright." He whispered to himself. (Hey he doesn't want people to think that he talks to himself more than he does to his team.)"I've finally found a ration scroll." He rips open the scroll eagerly, wanting to get on with the next step of his training as soon as possible.

He sweatdropped. It was an advanced Raiton scroll filled with B or higher ranked techniques. The basics that he was looking for was not about to be found in there. 

Then he silently fumed, unconsciously running chakra up and through the senbon that he holding, to the lamp he was reading by. He didn't notice until the lamp had gone out and caught fire. 

At first, Sasuke was elated to know that he had finally created a spark, but then he remembered that he had caught the lamp on fire inside a _wooden_ house. He immediately took the lamp to the sink and drowned it, heedless of the second degree burns that he just received.

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To an ordinary civilian, Sansai's place seemed rather standard for someone with Jounin pay and duties. It was a small two bedroom house with a kitchen, two bathrooms, a living room and a basement. There was little past the necessities past a cd player/ radio, a few scrolls and books, a shogi board, a photo album, and whatever is in the basement.

However to an elite ninja like Jiraiya, saw that it was anything but. The house was loaded with security seals that would immediately fry anyone that Sansai doesn't know or trust (slight difference there), several cabinets with so many seals that nothing short of Sansai's chakra signature and blood would grant access. Jiraiya also noticed several preservation seals on the refrigerator that would allow food to go unspoiled for an almost indefinite amount of time, and some seals that would activate at light Futon jutsu that would keep the dust from getting too overwhelming every once in a while. Jiraiya privately thought that Sansai was one paranoid bastard.

After Sansai got back from flipping the circuit breakers to turn the electricity back on, Jiraiya asked, (more like demanded) "So where's the sake, gaki?"



Sansai chuckled before pulling out the sake and two saucers from behind his back. "You sound like Tsunade sensei.." He poured some sake into each saucer. "To good times and to the continued fire of the leaf."

"Hai. And to those who come before and after us." They drank the first round. "So, who's left of your Rookie Nine?"

"Rookie Twelve, remember? Lets see, there was me, Minato dobe, Kairai Chan, the H twins, the InoShikaCho buddies, Mikoto Chan, Fugaku teme, Shibi san, and Tsume chan. You're the only surviving sensei, I'm all that left of Team 7, Mikoto and Fugaku got killed in the massacre, and Hizashi's corpse is still probably being researched by the Kumo Nin. We sure were a talented bunch weren't we?" he laughed humorlessly. 

"Remember when Minato found out that the Mikoto got stuck into an arranged marriage with Fugaku?"

"Hell yeah. The guy practically broke down. After locking himself in his apartment for a week I had to break in to drag him to training so that he wouldn't get dull before the Chunin Exams." By now they had downed several rounds. "I better stop; I can't afford to be completely hung over tomorrow."

"You're that drunk already?" Jiraiya asked incredulously for he wasn't even tipsy yet.

"I got to get back in gear tomorrow. Besides, I'd rather not be hung over when I decide to scare the hell out of the others. And I'm not exactly a happy drunk."

"Heh. Did you ever finish the gravity seal you were working on when you left?"

Sansai smirked. "Hell yeah. I keep it active almost all the time."

Jiraiya really laughed this time. "So this whole 'I'm out of shape' thing I've been hearing about you is a load of bull, huh? Can I see it?" Sansai complied by removing his shirt. After studying the seal that started on his abdomen and ran up his sides and then all the way down to his palms Jiraiya asked, amazed, "How the hell are you even standing up? The human body can only withstand three g's worth."

Sansai shook his head. "No. A civilian who is not versed in the ways of chakra and is not already used to the pressure can only handle three g's. I however, keep it at a standard of three g's."

Jiraiya was still stunned. "So if this is your standard, how much do you train at?"

"Well, for an all day session, I'll turn it up to five. For an average training session, I keep it at ten, and for thirty minutes or less, I have fifteen."

"So fifteen is your max?" Sansai nodded in response, signifying that that was the maximum that his body could handle regardless.

"You know that I've always wanted to play the 'Let people think that you are weaker than you really are' card."



"Yeah, yeah, so what the hell did you bring me here for? I'm sure it wasn't just to reminisce."

"Right. I think I've found a way to remove the Juin Jutsu." He was about to show Jiraiya a large scroll with the details within when they heard someone pounding on the door. "Err… yeah. Check it out."

Just before Sansai got to the door it was kicked in by one irate Mitarashi Anko. "Where the hell are you, Sansai? You promised to fix this damned thing!" She yelled, obviously referring to the curse seal.

Sansai's was in shock. He was expecting a shy, half depressed girl. What he saw was a loudmouth woman who he now found nearly as scary as his deceased teammate puppeteer. And Anko, apparently, wasn't very modest anymore either. "Err… nice jacket." He said, noting the trench coat that kept her within the bounds of decency.

"Tch, Perv. So is it ready?" Anko asked, already expecting Sansai to be at least slightly perverted considering that he was trained by the same guy who is rich enough to buy a small country from writing porn.

Sansai was still off balance from experiencing an Anko that had a mental 180 of what he had expected her to be. Sure, the Third filled him in on the rumors of her, but he just chalked it up to the village populace making a mountain out of a molehill _again_. "Err… I'm having Ero sensei check my work. If he okays it, its still gonna be a few days before I can set it all up."

"Don't call me that you Gaki!" They heard from the kitchen.

"Why the hell do you need _his_ okay?" Anko asked incredulously.  
"Rule #1 of Fujinjutsu: Always have a second opinion." Then he added with a mischievous smile, "Besides, with the kind of seal that we're working with, if I made a mistake, it'll kill you."

"Hey Sansai gaki, come here!" 

Sansai and Anko walked to the kitchen to find one strangely serious Jiraiya. "This wouldn't work on one of Oro teme's full fledged curse marks, but should work on the prototype that Anko received."

"Well let's get the fucking thing off of me then!"

Sansai crashed Anko's mood. "Hold on, this is fujinjutsu. Should isn't good enough. I need to look at the seal and make a diagnostic."

Anko groaned but moved her coat enough to reveal the seal.

Sansai glared venomously at his sensei, who was grinning lecherously. "Don't you dare. She's less than half your age." He ran a diagnostic technique that allows him to see how the Juin Jutsu affects her chakra coils.



"Well, shit. Apparently the Hebi didn't just activate her seal, but he updated it as well. From what I can tell, it is much more interwoven into your chakra coils and is much harder to resist the power."

"So… you can't remove it." Anko asked slowly, 

"Essentially. I could remove it, but the process would kill you. The thing is wrapped so tightly around the eight inner gates that it would take someone with Tsunade's medical precision and the Yondiaime's sealing expertise to pull it off."

"Hold on, Gaki. What if we don't remove the seal? Maybe we could remove Oro teme's influence on it instead. If he wasn't manipulating it, it wouldn't eat away at her sanity, or give you whispering of revenge."

"Hm… That might work." Sansai went back to observing the seal. A few moments later he had a smirk that promised to prove painful to the Hebi. "Well well well. The Hebi made a fatal error. Looks like the Hebi had the audacity to put a fraction of his mind in the seal. If that's how he controls it, then when it is removed, he ought to feel every second of it."

"If only we had an exorcist rather than a couple of Fujinjutsu experts."

Anko was rather pissed at being examined like a lab rat. "Are you bastards done yet? Can you do it or not?"

Sansai wore a sad smile. "Not yet Anko Chan, but now that we know exactly what we are dealing with, it shouldn't take more than a couple of years before we can free your mind of Orochimaru once and for all."

A sense of impending doom settled over Sansai's house. "Did you just call me 'Chan?'?"

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**Authors Note**

Ugh. This feels so… so forced out. But yeah, power was out for several days, preventing me from typing. Then it took me forever to come up with Jiraiya's intro speech. Then I had to rework the scene with Anko several times before it sounded halfway decent. 

Anyway, I've decided to bump this up the M so that I can swear with impunity and for future amounts of bloodshed. The idea for a piece of Orochimaru's mind being in the curse seal comes from SerpantSannin's Puppet Master Naruto. Read it and be amazed. 

Kairai (puppet) - Sansai's deceased kunoichi teammate. Likes photography. Hates perverts. Skills: puppetry.



Notice that all the women that Sansai referred to he called 'chan.' I figured that it would be a good idea for Sansai to be well connected in Konoha. It sure will make for some funny scenes/ omakes. Oh, he will be teased for being so tongue tied around Anko this time.

Sansai:"… Shut up."

I hope you liked this chapter. I put a lot of work into it.

Over and Out.

Eye of the Blizzard.

**EDIT:**Its almost like the further I go the less I need to fix… But yeah, this makes a lot more sense when I have as Jiraiya being the better seal master. Now I can finally continue without guilt!


	10. Final Notice

Dear Readers,

I am discontinuing Naruto: The Smarter Choice and I will not regret it. You see, it isn't that I don't know where to go with the story, but rather that I no longer have the motivation to write it out. I will make no excuses. I screwed up in the execution of this plot line. I have no idea what I was thinking when I introduced Sansai. I would explain, but that would mess up the present I'm going to present to you. Unlike most authors who discontinue their stories, I will leave you with some semblance of completion. Lo and behold, a complete summary of what I had planned to do with Naruto: The Smarter Choice.

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Before the Chunin Exam Finals:

Under Jiraiya, Naruto will be taught the Summoning Technique. Jiraiya will get bored after about a week and throw Naruto off a cliff. Kakashi will teach Naruto how the cut a tree with wind chakra.

Sasuke will progress rapidly in lightning chakra manipulation. By the Finals he will have learned the Thunderbolt Technique. (Yes, it is too tiring to translate these.)

Sakura will learn the Earth Style Wall Technique and will be working on the Mud River Flow Technique.

During the Sand Sound Invasion:

A team consisting of Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru, and Pakkun is sent to tail the Sand Siblings. Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto are ordered to ready themselves for battle and then act as backup for Shikamaru's squad.

Shino vs. Kankuro, completely canon.

Neji vs. Temari, Neji owns, but is injured badly by last ditch attack.

Team 7 has a run in with a Blood Clone of Orochimaru. It quickly gives Sasuke a curse mark and then dispels itself. Naruto summons a mid size toad and requests that it get Sasuke to some medical attention and to request for backup.

Naruto and Sakura arrive at the scene of the sandstorm. Long story short, Naruto shows impressive leadership qualities by effectively commanding the remains of the squads about evenly with Gaara in a half Shukaku state. When that fails he summons Gamabunta and it's essentially canon from there.

Meanwhile…

Sansai undid his gravity seal and entered the four point barrier just before it finished forming. He immediately has to deal with two blood clones of Orochimaru. (Imagine a total of half Orochimaru's strength; a fourth of his intelligence.) By then Oro was just then using Edo Tensei.



Then Sansai quickly efficiently, ruthlessly destroyed the sound Four. (If Gai can break a tree ft thick wall, Sansai can break a roof.) Upon seeing that the Third has activated the Shinki Fuujin, he leaves them to their (canon) fate.

Sansai oddly enough, is now the most obvious choice for 5th Hokage. Not trusting Jiraiya or Tsunade to do it right, he accepts. His first order is for Jiraiya and Naruto to retrieve Tsunade so that she can establish that medical division that she used to be so adamant about.

The Search for Tsunade

The only thing not canon is that Naruto is also developing his wind nature. No surprise there.

Meanwhile…

Sansai has created a blood clone to deal with the Hokage duties. The real Sansai however, is on a mission to secure an alliance with Kumogakure. He brings along with him Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura under the guise that Kakashi is Kakashi, Sasuke is Sansai's apprentice, and Sakura is the only field medic Sasuke's age. (Wink wink) ;)

In truth, they couldn't completely seal Orochimaru's new curse mark. Sasuke was there so that Sansai could keep an eye on him. Sakura is there so that she doesn't feel abandoned.

The alliance meeting is a one on one with the Raikage. She claims to hold a grudge against Sansai.

A bloody Sansai exits the meeting apparently unscathed, and declares that anyone who crosses him will meet with a similar fate. Later on the way back, he drops his genjutsu to reveal that he isn't fatally injured, but if they don't get back quickly, Sansai will die of blood loss.

A year later…

Sasuke defects and Sansai refuses to send a retrieval squad. He sends Hunter Nin instead. Naruto rushes to try and save Sasuke. By the time he gets to the Valley of the End, the Hunter Nin are dead and Sasuke is long gone, servant to the snake.

Three years later…

Akasuki has deemed the Kyuubi vessel to be far too powerful. If he is not captured now, Pein's plans will not succeed. Deidara and Sasori are sent to distract the Hokage and his forces, while Itachi and Kisame take the Jinchuuriki just before it returns to Konoha.

Sansai and Deidara fight a titanic battle; both know that the first to strike a solid blow will be the victor. After killing Deidara, Sansai is immediately assassinated by Sasori.

XX



…And that is what I had. Although it _was_ far more detailed when it was in my mind. Oh well. Tell me what you thought of it if you wish. It was a pleasure while I was writing. Maybe now I can feel better about trying to concentrate on my other stories.

Adios, for now.

Eye of the Blizzard


End file.
